WITH the three days warning strike declared by the labour centres in Oyo state ending on Friday, the state government and labour unions have commenced negotiations over the major lingering issues.
Prior to Friday’s meeting, the two parties had last met on 9th of January 2018 with the meeting not producing the desired result.
The labour unions had announced the strike over the 13-weeks old strike of staff of the state-owned tertiary institutions, the sack of 256 members of staff of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, and unpaid pensions and gratuities of retired primary school teachers accumulating to 56 months.
At the meeting between the state government team led by Secretary to the state government, Mr Olalekan Alli and labour team led by Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Waheed Olojede held on Friday at State Government, the two parties avowed commitment to reaching consensus on the issues.
Speaking separately, Alli and Olojede maintained that negotiations on the issues would continue next Wednesday.
“We have discussed extensively some of the issues brought to the table some of which were the reasons for labour embarking on the three days warning strike.
“We sincerely believe that with the commitment brought by both sides to this meeting which we are adjourning until Wednesday, 31st January 2018.
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“We are convinced that giving the spirit demonstrated, there is no cause for alarm. We have been rest assured that the industrial peace of the state would not be disrupted and whatever it is that is required of both sides to sort out the issues will be sorted out,” Alli said.
Speaking in the same vein, Olojede said, “We are convinced that we both have a responsibility to sustain industrial peace in the state. And we have also demanded the government to look critically into the issues. Some were discussed here extensively and others will be discussed on Wednesday.”
“The warning strike is hereby vacated while the issue of tertiary institution continues for negotiation next Wednesday.”
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