Nigeria: Kwara - labour, govt, disagree over conditions for minimum wage

By Demola Akinyemi

The organised labour in Kwara state has rejected the ongoing verification/auditing exercise of the state government as a condition for payment of minimum wage to the workers as demanded.

The labour leaders, therefore, put their members on standby for an indefinite strike which will commence on Monday.

This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),Aliyu Issa Ore, Ag state Chairman Trade Union Congress (TUC) Ezekiel Adegoke, and state Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council (JNC-TUS) Saliu Suleiman, made available to journalists in Ilorin.

Labour leaders had given 14 days ultimatum which will expire on Monday, October 10, 2020, to the state government to do the needful, but the government decided to carry out verification and auditing of workers before implementing the minimum wage.

The statement reads,"Consequent upon the letter received from the office of the Head of Service, Kwara State, on the issue of Verification and auditing of the workers in the Civil service and the local governments, the organised labour under the auspices of the NLC, TUC and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC-TUS) vehemently rejected the verification exercise until the issues of the minimum wage are amicably signed and implemented for the workers in the state without any discrimination.

"Furthermore, all workers/industrial unions in Kwara state are hereby directed to commence mobilisation and sensitization of their members towards the expiration of the 14 days ultimatum which will elapse on Monday midnight (12.00)12 October 2020 for full industrial action in the state "

This article originally appeared on Vanguard

Photo: Vanguard