Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State have insisted on having direct negotiation with Gov. Seyi Makinde on demands of the civil and public servants in the state to avert the impending strike.
Consequently, it has directed civil and public servants in the state to converge on the Government Secretariat on Monday to force the governor to speak with
This was part of the outcome of an emergency meeting which the congress had with workers in the state at its state secretariat on Thursday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that workers’ unions, including NLC, Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Council had, on Tuesday, issued a four-day ultimatum to the state government to address their demands.
NAN reports that the demands included: payment of salary deduction arrears and subsequent payment of full salary, palliatives for workers, upward review of pensions and payment of leave bonuses from 2021, among others.
NLC Chairman in the state, Mr Kayode Martins, while briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, said that the congress would no long have conversations with any intermediary over the demands of workers and pensioners in the state.
Martins called on all workers in the state not to resume at their various offices on Monday, but converge at the State Government Secretariat by 7.30 a.m. to force the governor to speak with them directly.
He said that the union had written series of letters to the governor itemising their demands, claiming that the letters were not delivered to him.
“We insist on seeing the governor in order to speak with him directly without any intermediary. If he sees us, he will definitely address us.
“We have not had a roundtable discussion with the governor in the last four years.
“We have series of demands like the deductions of salaries that have not been paid in the last six months and outstanding promotion, which those promoted are yet to receive their promotion letters,’’ he said.
Martin’s listed other demands to include: payment of pension gratuities and arrears, review of pension payment which was last review since 2007 and the issue of palliatives.
He said that the committee on palliatives set up by the governor occasioned by petrol subsidy removal eight weeks ago had yet to meet and that nothing had been done on it.
Martins said that workers, pensioners and citizens of the state were currently suffering as a result of high cost of living, adding that going to work had become a serious challenge for the workers.
He said that the outcome of the negotiation with the governor on Monday would determine the next line of action by the union.
The NLC chairman insisted that whatever might be happening at the national headquarters of NLC had nothing to do with the issue the congress was having with the state government.
Also speaking, the Secretary of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the state, Mr Olusegun Abatan, said that some pensioners in the state were receiving as low as N500 monthly pension.
Abatan said that pension was reviewed last in the state 20 years ago, adding that pensioners were facing lots of challenges due to fuel subsidy removal.
NAN reports that the news briefing was attended by the State Chairman of TUC, Mr Bosun Olabiyi, and his JNC counterpart, Mr Olanipekun Seun, among others. (NAN)
