Labour to commence indefinite strike in October

chika ebuzor

September 28, 2017 8:52 PM

Reports say the Benue state government owes workers 11 months salary while the pensioners are owed for 13 months.

The organised labour in Benue on Thursday directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike on October 3 in protest of the non-payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities owed in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that workers in the state are owed between 7 and 11 months salaries while the pensioners are owed for 13 months.

Some retirees have yet to receive their gratuities.

Comrades Godwin Anya, Ordue Tartenger and Philip Anongu, Chairmen of the NLC, TUC and JPNC respectively, in Makurdi, jointly signed and issued the communiqué declaring the industrial action.

The labour leaders said the action was taken by the joint State Executive Council (SEC) of the unions after the expiration of the 7- day warning strike by the organised labour in the state.

They regretted government’s inability to meet their demands said that all avenues for arbitration on the matter yielded no results.

“SEC resolved to embark on total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action with effect from Tuesday, October 3, 2017 to press home its demand for payment of entitlements,” they said.

The labour leaders said that the state workers were owed March to Sept. 2017 salaries, while teachers and local government workers were owed Nov.2016 to Sept.2017 salaries.

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They said the retirees were owed pensions and gratuities for Nov. 2014 to April 2015 and March to Sept. 2017, while their local government counterparts were owed pensions for Aug. 2016 to Sept. 2017.

They said labour in the state had rejected government’s directive to them to submit their bank statements with a threat that they would lose their jobs if they failed to comply.

The officials also commended workers and pensioners in the state for their continued co-operation and urged them to ensure total compliance with the strike order.

chika ebuzor