Ogun workers give govt 21-day ultimatum over non-payment of deductions

Workers in the employ of Ogun State government, under the auspices of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JCN), have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government over non-payment of deductions in the last 12 months.

The body, in a statement issued at the end of the extra ordinary state executive councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and JCN meeting, held on Thursday, in Abeokuta, said the action of the state government in withholding workers’ deductions was a deliberate and destructive effort to pauperise workers in the state workforce.

The statement, signed by the chairmen of TUC, NLC and JNC, Comrades Olubunmi Fajobi,  Akeem Ambali and Abiodun Olakanmi, respectively, added that workers were owed 12 months of union check-off dues; co-operative dedications and FirstBank loans; accumulating unpaid gratuities of retirees which was last paid in October, 2012; 16 months of unpaid workers of the state owned Tai Solarin College of Education and crippling of local due to abolition of Joint Account on Allocation Committee.

The resolution of the meeting was that the state government should address all matters raised by the workers within the next 21 days to avoid industrial action.

It said: “The meeting viewed the actions of the state government of Ogun State as deliberate and destructive effort to pauperise workers in the state public service, tending to cripple the activities of industrial unions and ultimately gain the undue advantage over the various issues bedevilling the state workforce.

“Consequently, the meeting affirmed that time was right that deliberate and systematic chains of reactions over the issues as outlined above be vigorously pursued.

“It was unanimously agreed at the meeting that 21-day ultimatum should be given to the state government to address the above stated agitations, commencing from September 29.”