Osun Labour Unions to Aregbesola: Workers’, pensioners’ condition precarious

OSUN State Joint Public Service Negotiating Councils, comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other 12 affiliated unions have implored Governor Rauf Aregbesola to restore full payment of salaries to some categories of workers, saying the condition of public servants and pensioners in the state are precarious.

They demanded the urgent payment of the outstanding modulated salaries, being paid to some categories of workers, which commenced from September 2015 to date, with a view to averting imminent industrial dispute in the state.

In a letter dated 17th of July, 2018 addressed to the governor, which was obtained by the Nigerian Tribune in Osogbo, on Wednesday, the organised labour said “the situation of workers and pensioners in the state is precarious and if these demands are not met immediately, the labour movement may not be able to guarantee industrial peace in Osun State”.

According to the letter with reference number ILM/OSUN/08 signed by the chairman of the NLC in Osun, Comrade Jacob Adekomi, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Adebowale Adekola, among others, “we also demand immediate remittance of contributory pension of workers to their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) without further delay”.

It reads in part, “we wish to invite your attention to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with your government on Saturday, 30th December 2017 before the suspension of a three-day strike action embarked upon by the workers in the state”.

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“While we appreciate your government for attending to articles A, B, C (I) and d of the MoU, articles C (3) “payment of full of salaries and pensions will commence by the second quarter of the year 2018”, remained unattended to.

“Mr Governor Sir, the payment of salaries and pensions still remain on a modulated basis which negates the MoU signed and the backlog of the balance of salaries and pensions from September 2015 till date are left unpaid, despite your promises at different fora.

“Furthermore, you may wish to recollect that the workers and pensioners in Osun State have been fully cooperative with your administration since inception, hence the need for the government to revert to the legal and statutory rights of the state workers and pensioners by restoring the payment of full salaries and pensions in the state.”

“We all demand payment of outstanding 2016 leave allowance. The situation of workers and pensioners is precarious and if these demands are not met immediately, the labour movement may not be able to guarantee industrial peace in our state”, the letter concluded.