Kwara workers issue 14-day strike notice to govt over agreement breach.

Kwara workers issue 14-day strike notice to govt over agreement breach.

Public workers in Kwara State, under the aegis of the Joint Kwara Labour Congress, yesterday, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state government over the alleged refusal to implement the agreement it reached with the union.

State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Muritala Saheed, who spoke on behalf of other unions, said the ultimatum became effective from Tuesday, January 9, 2024.

Other labour leaders at the event included State Chairman of the TUC, Tunde Joseph, the state chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, Saliu Suleiman, among others.

The NLC Chairman said they had “observed that our dear state is falling apart and the body language of our government does not suit the purpose of mending the cracks. These cracks cut across both formal and informal sector of our State economically, psychologically, physically and morally.

“On several occasions both NLC and TUC of this state have written government on demands of Workers and observed ills in our State. Unfortunately there was no change or attempt to address issues raised in our letters.

“As we speak, all industrial Unions in the state have one demand or another that requires government attention, this is not forthcoming as the government has remained invisible/incommunicado.

“Most pathetic is the fact that government of our dear state has refused to honour/implement all written and gentleman agreement it entered into with labour.

Among these are Non-implementation of N35,000 Wage Award for all categories of Workers in Kwara State following fuel subsidy removal, Refusal to domesticate and implement 40 percent peculiar allowance as approved and provided for by the Federal Government of Nigeria, and Non-payment of Consequential adjustment to pensioners since.”

Others are the approval of the current New Minimum Wage in 2019, lack of willingness to pay Local Government Workers Outstanding Arrears, outstanding Arrears of promotion for 2020, 2021 and 2022, non-implementation of 100 percent CONHESS and 100 percent Hazard.