Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, yesterday announced an immediate strike action in Imo State due to the recent attack on NLC President Joe Ajaero.
The Labour Unions also said that if their demands were not met, they plan to declare a nationwide strike by November 14.
In a communique signed by NLC’s Deputy President and TUC President, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, and Festus Osifo respectively, the two labour centres said the joint NEC meeting deliberated on the distressing incident involving the abduction and assault on the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
Grievances include salary arrears, wrongful designation of workers as ghosts, unsettled gratuities, non-compliance with the Minimum Wage Act, and labeling of pensioners as ghost retirees.
The joint NEC condemned the violence by the Imo State government, accusing Governor Hope Uzodinma of rights abuse and reneging on agreements, leading to 20 months of unpaid salaries for some workers and a backlog of retirees’ gratuities.
The communique highlighted discriminatory pay practices, the destruction of the NLC state secretariat, and the government’s failure to implement the N30,000 minimum wage.
They also criticized the deployment of violence against workers, illegal diversion of union funds, and the mislabeling of pensioners, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
Part of the communique read “Additionally, the council addressed the appalling acts of violence and bloodshed inflicted upon him and fellow workers, who had assembled at the NLC Imo State secretariat in compliance with the directive on Imo State.
“These acts were perpetrated by the Imo State government, acting under the guidance of the governor and in collaboration with the Nigeria police.
“The Joint NEC-in-session unanimously condemned in very strong terms the actions of Hope Uzodinma, his goons and the Nigeria police.
“To this end, the joint NLC/TUC NEC-in-session observed that the decision to embark on an industrial action in Imo State was purely in keeping with its earlier resolution, Imo State government under Hope Uzodimma, continues in its abuse of the rights and privileges of workers in the state.
“The government has repeatedly reneged on agreements, most notably the accord reached on January 9, 2021, between the government and organised labour.
“Shockingly, some workers have been subjected to a staggering 20 months of unpaid salaries under the unfounded label of ‘ghost workers.
“Approximately 11,000 hardworking individuals have been unjustly branded as ghost workers, their salaries diverted, even while they diligently carried out their duties.
“The wanton destruction of the NLC state secretariat is a blatant attack on the rights of workers and a violation of the sanctity of their representative body.
“The introduction of discriminatory pay practices and the imposition of apartheid-like policies in determining monthly payments is an affront on fair labor practices.
“The government has failed to address the eight -year backlog of gratuity owed to retirees, showing a grave disregard to the rights of those who have dedicated their careers in service.
“The government has persistently shirked its duty to properly implement the N30,000 National Minimum Wage, a critical safeguard for the economic wellbeing of workers.
Report by Chibuike Ezekwesili
News Editor: Okuh Ikeme
Published by, Okuh Ikeme
