Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Sunday warned the out going and the incoming administrations in the state to stop their ongoing political drama on the implementation of the newly approved N30,000 minimum wage .
NLC in a statement made available to newsmen signed by its secretary, Comrade Ibrahim Mohammed cautioned that enough is enough of the drama as the union will not tolerate any excuse from the outgoing and the incoming administration on implementation of the new minimum wage which has been signed to law.
According to Oyo NLC, it was unfortunate that the issue of workers welfare package in the state could become political tantrum and drama between the outgoing and incoming administration in the state.
“The state leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress has been following with keen interest, the political bickering and over dramatisation of differences currently unfolding between the outgoing and incoming administration in the state, which unfortunately and with great concern has been extended to the critical interest of the workers in the state ‘N30,000 minimum wage’ and other wide range of government activities and issues bothering on the core value/welfare of Oyo state citizenry”, it said.
Oyo state NLC, added, “we are deeply disappointed and compelled to hereby express our displeasure at the way and manner the issue of the minimum wage is been politicised in the state. The NLC wishes to categorically state that no excuse or excuses shall be tolerated from either the incumbent or incoming government on implementation of the new minimum wage which has been signed into law.”
“Workers deserve the best welfare package. The only discussion labour is interested in, are the lingering issues deserving urgent attention and solution to its series of outstanding salaries, gratuities and other emoluments.”
In the statement, the Oyo state NLC demanded “urgent meeting of government representatives with the union’s hierarchy in the state to resolve several lingering issues and urgent attention to outstanding backlog of salaries and entitlements.”
The union gave its demands as; “outstanding 2011 salary of JOHESU workers, outstanding salaries of workers in some local governments, outstanding pension of retired local government staff and primary school teachers, permanent one month arrears of salary in the primary education sector, outstanding salaries of workers in tertiary institutions and backlog of gratuities.”
It stressed in the statement that the theme of of 2019 May Day celebration which was “Another 100 years of struggle for jobs, dignity and social justice in Nigeria” is still fresh in our mind and hence, NLC shall resist all forms of slavery, scapegoatism, suffering and other negative variables currently been experienced by workers in Oyo State. Enough is enough.”
