Wage Award: Oyo Labour Union threatens to Down Tools
By Adewale Owoade
The Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress has urged the state government to abide by the Federal Government’s wage award proposal to pay Workers N35,000 and pensioners N25,000 or risk total mass industrial action at the end of October.
The NLC and its affiliate unions resolved to embark on a sit-at-home protest if the state government failed to comply with its demands on wage award at the end of the month.
The leadership of the unions had earlier briefed the workers on activities of the committee set up by the state government to fashion a suitable arrangement for the wage award, before reaching resolutions based on recommendations from workers.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the congress, the NLC Chairman, Oyo State Council, Comrade Kayode Martins recalled that the union leaders had informed the government of their displeasure with workers welfare at the inauguration of ad hoc committee set up by the gov. Makinde, to look into the wage award.
“Since May 29, this year, couple of months now, nothing has been done, is been meetings upon meetings, and people decided today that we are standing on the agreement made between the Federal Government, governors’ forum and the labour leaders at the national level.
“That by the end of this month if the wage award of N35,000 for workers and N25,000 for Pensioners is not implemented, people should stay at home.
“People have spoken by the end of this month, workers should stay at home,” Martins said.
Also, the Vice Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Ranti Gbenle – Oluwemimo was optimistic that the governor will act fast, to avert the strike.
“All the things we’ve been placing before him, he has been doing it, that is what gave me the utmost believe that this wage award will be done without much problem, he will effect it, I’m trusting God.” Gbenle – Oluwemimo said.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Union of Pensioners, (NUP), Comrade Olusegun Abatan, said that the decision of the NLC, was bidding on NUP.
He said although Gov Makinde had proven to show empathy to workers welfare, he should be wary of wrong advices which might pitch him against the workforce.
“The Nigerian Union of Pensioners is fully in support of the decision taken today at this congress.
“Gov Makinde has done well in his first term in office, we want to advice him to do better in this second term in office.
“He should shun negative advice that would bring his administration to disrepute, and do the needful for workers and for pensioners,” Abatan said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Gov Makinde set up a committee, which had the labour leaders as members, to reach a common ground on a mutually beneficial wage award following the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.
This was after labour leaders said the subsidy removal made the lives of its members more miserable.(NAN)
