Unless a compromise is reached over the next 14 days, the Ekiti State government and organised labour – comprising Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) – may be heading for a collision course, as the labour union has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state government to implement its demands for better welfare.
The labour unions, rising from their meeting in the state capital, Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, accused the Fayemi-led government of “turning a blind eye” to their plight and insisted that the ultimatum will take effect from Monday, July 20 and failure to yield to the pleas on or before August 3rd, 2020 they will embark on industrial action.
They stated this in a letter to the governor titled “14 days ultimatum to implement matters affecting workers’ welfare in Ekiti State to avoid three days warning strike” signed by the chairmen of NLC, Kolapo Olatunde; TUC, Sola Adigun and JNC, Kayode Fatomiluyi, as well as secretaries of JNC, Gbenga Olowoyo; TUC, Kuloogun Lawrence and NLC Taiwo Akinyemi.
The group demanded with “immediate effect, payment of three months gross salary arrears and five months’ deductions for state workers and secondary school teachers; six months gross salaries and six months deductions for local government workers and primary school teachers”.
The unions say they are incensed by the “non-implementation of financial benefits arising from the letters of promotion given to all deserving workers from years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and advancement and government’s decision to petition the outstanding promotions for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 and contemplating the implementation of 2018 and 2019 only.
“Non-payment of leave bonus for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 to all deserving workers in the state; non-payment of special hazard allowance for health workers; and non-payment of deductions such as cooperative societies deductions, bank loan repayment, union check-off dues among other deductions in recent time by the present state government under the guise of the introduction of net salary payment”.
However, the groups rejected “the speculated percentage salary payment to workers” and insisted on a “full implementation”.
