OGBC workers begin strike over unpaid salaries

WORKERS in Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) in Abeokuta on Wednesday started an indefinite strike over unpaid four months’ salaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the workers arrived at the station around 5.00 a.m and locked the studio and offices to prevent the 
general manager and top management staff from having access to their offices.

The workers, who were led by Mr Abiodun Ogundipe, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Mr Ayo Aina, Chairman, Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers (RATTAWU), had issued a three-day warning to the management to pay the salaries.

Ogundipe told NAN that there was no going back on the strike until their demands were met.

He said that the state Head of Service, Mr Abayomi Sobande, had visited the workers and appealed to them, promising that something would be done.

“Sobande said we should allow for skeletal services pending the time they would get back to us before the close of work.

“We are not going back on the strike. The strike has not been suspended, we will continue until our demands are met, “he said.

NAN reports that the workers, had during a press conference on Friday, threatened an indefinite strike from Wednesday over non-payment of outstanding salaries.

The workers said that inspite of issuing three different notices to the management, nothing was done to pay the outstanding salaries.

Apart from the arrears of salaries, the workers are also claiming that some pension deductions from 2012 till date totalling about N50 million had not been remitted.

The workers said deductions to the National Housing Fund of over N2 million were not remitted.

The workers, however, commended Gov Ibikunle Amosun for increasing the monthly subvention to the station from N3.5 million to N10 million.

Some armed police officers were seen at the entrance of the station.