The Trade Union Congress, Oyo State Chapter
has issued a five-day ultimatum to the state government over the non-payment of
seven months salaries and pensions to workers.
The TUC Caretaker Chairman, Mr Andrew
Emelieze, told newsmen in Ibadan on Monday that the union would embark on a
mass action if government failed to address its demands.
He said the five days ultimatum was an added
opportunity for government to the issues, adding that the initial 15-day
ultimatum expired on Aug. 1.
The TUC had on July 11 stormed the state
government secretariat to submit its demand to the government, issuing a 15-day
ultimatum.
TUC’s letter was received by Mr Soji Eniade,
the Head of Service on behalf of the government.
Emelieze said that the state government did
not consult with them while the ultimatum lasted despite their correspondence
to them.
“We are not part of the unholy agreement
between the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress and the state government
that suspended the seven weeks strike on July 25.
“We hereby condemn the unholy alliance and
resolution between them. We are going to occupy the state secretariat if
government fails to heed to our demands.
“We will bring our mattresses and pillows to
the secretariat, while some will go on hunger strike,’’ he said.
He faulted the planned restructuring of the
workforce by the state government, describing it as a ploy to retrench some
workers.
The TUC chairman said that more than 30 per
cent of the wage bill claimed by the state government was used in paying
political office holders.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to
cushion the economic hardship experienced across the country, saying the cost
of living in the country was on the increase.
Also, Mr Emmanuel Ogundiran, the Chairman,
Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, said that the state governor had only
succeeded in deceiving the NLC into signing an unfavourable agreement.
“The agreement states that salaries will be
paid for January and February in tranches. What will then happen after the
payment?’’ he asked.
Ogundiran said that many of the agitations
and agreement handled by both the NLC and TUC were supposed to be handled by
the JNC.
He said that it was sad that the union had
lost some of its members to thdeath during the seven-week strike.
Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, had on July 30 in Ibadan
told newsmen that there was no truth in the news that the state government was
planning to retrench workers but to restructure.
Ajimobi said that he would restructure to
make every worker in the service of the state functional and productive, adding
that they would all be engaged.
On the outstanding salary, he said that the
status of the state’s finance was made clear to the labour unions before the
resolution to suspend the seven weeks strike.
“We have shown the workforce our bills and
they have seen the reality.
They have seen now that the strike could have been
avoided initially to move the state forward.
“I don’t see any reason for any group to be
coming up with any other thing to draw the state backward after the amicable
resolution,’’ he said.
He said that his administration was poised at
making the state self-sufficient and executing developmental-oriented projects
across the state.
Ajimobi said that the situation was national,
adding that several states were experiencing the same economic downturn.
“We aren’t wicked and will not watch the
workforce suffer if we are buoyant. We have always been fair to our workers.
“When the state was buoyant, we increased
their take home and gave them better packages,’’ he said.
(NAN)
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