Ekiti labour begins 3-day warning strike from Aug 3

TRACKING____The Ekiti State organised labour has directed workers in the state to begin a three-day warning strike from August 3. The strike, according to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), was to draw the attention of Governor Kayode Fayemi to pay outstanding salaries, allowances and pension arrears of their members.

The state government and organised labour have engaged in a cold war over unpaid seven-month salary arrears of local government workers and primary school teachers, as well as pensioners, three month arrears for secondary school teachers and civil servants and outstanding gratuities, spanning over 10 years. Other contentious payments include: Leave bonus from 2015 till date, arrears of promotions for workers at all levels, deductions and implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage across board.

The outstanding payments, which progressively accumulated during former Governor Ayodele Fayose’s regime, became an albatross for Fayemi, having promised to defray the arrears totalling N57 billion within one year he assumed office for his second term. The directive was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Chairmen of NLC, Kolapo Olatunde, TUC, Sola Adigun and JNC, Kayode Fatomiluyi, yesterday. The labour said: “The warning strike called by the organized labour in Ekiti will commence on Monday, August 3 at 12am.”