By Correspondent in Minna
All things being equal, the organized labour in Niger State says it has fixed December 1 to resume the suspended strike over the decision of the state government to pay its members salaries on basis of percentage.
The labour gave the hint in a letter addressed to the Niger State Head of Service, signed by the state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Yakubu Garba and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Taminu Yunusa on Saturday in Minna.
The labour said its members would resume the strike on that date,if the government fails to address its grievances.
NLC and TUC said: “We write on behalf of the State Executive Council (SEC) of Niger State organised labour to convey to your esteemed office the harmonized position of the affiliate unions as follows:
“That Niger State Government should refund the slashed June 2020 salary to desirable civil servants latest Tuesday, December 1.
“We also resolved that the discussion on payment of outstanding October 2020 salary for local government workers must be concluded on or before Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
“The proposal by Niger State government to pay November 2020 salary of LGAs and state workers on a percentage basis is unacceptable and vehemently rejected.
“We decided that failure by the government to address issues 1, 2 and 3 above, the organised labour will be left with no other option than to resume the earlier suspended indefinite strike action, effective from midnight of Tuesday, December 1, 2020.”
The Reporters gathered that the organized labour, earlier in its special information for its members, hinted them of the state government decision to pay the state workforce of salary by percentage on November.
It said: “Due to the shortcoming of FAC allocation to the States, Niger State State Government is planning to pay Niger State Civil servants 70% of November salary across the board which the Organised labour kicked against.
The resolutions reached today at the SEC meeting of NLC was that, the Organised Labour and all the affiliated Unions unanimously agreed that any thing less than 100% workers salary will not be accepted.
Similarly, we are urged to communicate our members on this development and by the end of this month (November), if the state Government refuses to conformable with the instructions of the Organised labour of paying the full salary to the Niger State workers we will be left with no option than to go on strike.
The Organised labour will be meeting the government team, tomorrow, for further discussion and also to advice the State government to borrow to augment workers salary. Please pass this information to our members in your MDAS.”
Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that in neighbouring kogi state, the state workers went home with full salary, despite the short fall in the November Federal allocation to the state, according to many of them in separate interview with The Reporters in Lokoja.
The workers commended the state government for the effort in that regard but pleaded with it to implement other remunerations such as leave bonus, promotion with cash backing among others.
According to them, the hyper inflation in the state, particularly lokoja,the state capital coupled with servicing of their loans had robbed them the opportunity of the value for their salaries, in terms of family commitments.
“When promotions are backed up with cash backing, leave bonuses paid, as and when due,we will have enough money to cope with the terrible high cost of living in Lokoja, and effectively take of the family, a civil servant who spoke with the online publication on the condition of anonymity, said.
