NLC gives Oyo govt 24-hour notice to commence strike

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State chapter,  on Thursday, gave a 24-hour notice to commence strike and paralyse government activities, few days to the May 29 swearing-in of the new government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

The ‘undoings’ of the outgoing government of the All Progressives Congress under Senator Abiola Ajimobi were catalogued in a press statement by the union made available to journalists in the state capital.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Bayo Titlola-Sodo had on Wednesday evening gave a hint of the impending strikes while hosting journalists to iftar (breaking of fast) at the NULGE secretariat, Challenge, Ibadan.

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Titilola-Sodo had said, “no government should treat workers like slaves. Let there be justice on how we relate with fellow citizens. A number of teething issues had been on the ground since 2011 when the outgoing government came into power.”

The NLC chairman who lauded the Federal Government on the directives to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit on local government allocations was quick to add that the state government had usurped the powers of the local governments for far too long.

Titlola-Sodo also said there was no excuse for any state government not to pay the new minimum wage of N30, 000 recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Few hours after the NLC chairman spoke that the union was not getting favourable response from its negotiations with the outgoing government on a number of unresolved issues including how to end the ongoing primary school teachers’ strike, the labour leaders released a statement, giving ultimatum of a 24-hour strike notice billed to commence 12am on Friday.

Part of the demands in a two-page statement jointly signed by the NLC secretary, Mohamed Ibrahim and the secretary of Joint Negotiating Council, Lukman Balogun, after a meeting of all public service union in the state, include; payment of at least one month arrear of salary to some local government workers.

Those affected and said to be at the receiving end, are council workers in Lagelu, Egbeda, Ogbomoso North and South, Surulere and Ibadan North West local governments.

The statement reads further that the state government should pay the remaining arrears of salary to health workers under the umbrella of JOHESU, and immediate enhancement of security within the state hospital, at ring road, Ibadan.

The union also appealed to the Governing Board of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital to reinstate the sacked workers at the hospital and release letter of promotion up to 2016 as being enjoyed by other sectors in the state.

The labour union, however, said that if all the above demands are not met within 24 hours, the leadership of all units in the Public Service in Oyo State shall not be able to guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the state with effect from Friday 24th of May 2019.”

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The release also acknowledged the commitment of the state government to the welfare of workers which include: upgrading of the directorate cadre from grade level 16 to grade level 17, in tandem with the scheme of service in the Federal Civil Service level; lifting embargo placed on lateral conversion and transfer across all cadre in the public service and immediate payment of May, 2019 salary/pension to all workers and pensioners in Oyo State.

The labour union, however, stated that an enabling circular and necessary documents supporting item 1 and 2 above should be made available within the new ultimatum.

It noted that the government was expected to meet its demands in order to avert impending industrial action, which also includes: payment of at least one-month arrears of financial benefit of promotion to striking primary school teachers.