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Tag: Strike

  • Wike mum as workers ground activities in FCT

    Wike mum as workers ground activities in FCT

    Workers have grounded activities in all the six (6) area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after commencing an indefinite strike on December 1.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike has maintained deafening silence as the indefinite strike enters Day 8 on Sunday.

    It was learnt that pregnant women, some at the point of birth, were sent away at the Primary Health Care Centres spread across the 6 area councils of the FCT.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT Council had directed all workers in the six area councils of the FCT to proceed on the indefinite strike to protest against non-implementation of the N70,000 new national minimum wage.

    The NLC had in a communique following a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held on November 8 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, appealed to FCT council chairmen to implement the new national minimum wage.

    Chairman of the council, Mr Knabanyi Adalo, however, said that the chairmen had refused to respond to the demand for implementation of the minimum wage in their respective area councils.

    Adalo said that in response to this inaction, the organised labour in its State Administrative Council meeting held on November 12, unanimously resolved to adhere strictly to the national directive to embark on the indefinite strike.

    He said the directive was subject to any State government’s failure to implement the national minimum wage on or before the last day of November.

    “The state administrative council also noted with deep frustration the persistent delay and outright refusal by the area councils’ chairmen to pay some pending entitlements to the workers, including the outstanding arrears of primary school teachers,” Adalo said.

    According to him, failure to implement the new national minimum wage is a gross violation of the law and total disregard to the welfare and well-being of workers in the area councils.

    Meanwhile, chairmen of the 6 FCT area councils had pleaded with the workers to implement the N70,000 minimum wage from January, 2025, which was rejected by the NLC.

    Adalo confirmed to Daily Trust that the union had met with the area council chairmen and revealed that the chairmen cited backlog of some pending primary school teachers’ arrears and other entitlements for posting implementation of the minimum wage to January, 2025.

    He explained that the union rejected the council chairmen’s plea and insisted that the minimum wage should be implemented before the end of December 2024, adding that it was unfortunate workers and primary school teachers in the FCT were going through tough time due to the economic hardship in the country.

    “Actually, the union met with the area council chairmen and they requested that the union should give them till January, 2025 to implement the minimum wage because of some commitment.

    “But we insisted that the implementation should commence in this December, 2024. So, that is how things stand between the union and the council chairmen at the moment,” he said.

    Adalo said the strike will continue until the minimum wage is implemented.

  • Minimum wage: Gov Nwifuri vows to fire, replace workers within 3days over strike

    Minimum wage: Gov Nwifuri vows to fire, replace workers within 3days over strike

    The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has threatened to sack workers who participated in compliance with the directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) warning strike over alleged failure of the state government to implement the new minimum wage.

    The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has threatened to sack workers who participated in compliance with the directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) warning strike over alleged failure of the state government to implement the new minimum wage.

    Ebonyi state government is not owing any worker in the state, both pension, gratuity and salary and we are paying the minimum wage as enshrined in the Act of the National Assembly.

    “Ebonyi workers are enjoying their promotion accordingly. My worry is why should our state join in a strike action when there is no reason for it”.

    According to Governor Nwifuru, the state government will not hesitate to replace striking workers, as he has directed all the relevant government officials to ensure they take attendance of those who reported to work and those who didn’t starting from today.

    “If any government staff didn’t go to work within the next 72 hours, not just that I won’t pay you, but I will go ahead to replace the staff. If I didn’t see you in the office, as far as am not guilty and am not owing you, I am paying you what you are supposed to be paid and according to our agreement and you refuses to go to work, within 72 hours, I will replace you.

    I have informed the Chairman of the Civil Service commission, I have directed all the commissioners, all the agencies and departments of government to be in their different offices and ensure they take records of the staff that comes to work and those are the people that will be paid through table payment.

    “The staff will be paid by the number of days that they came to work. If any staff decides not to come to work, let the person forget about Ebonyi State Government”.

    The Governor also expressed regrets over the purported letter written to him by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) which was posted on social media platforms, adding that he was yet to receive the letter before it went viral.

    He insisted that he will not negotiate with the NLC chairman in the state as he is not a staff of the state government.

    Ebonyi State will not fold it’s hands and watch someone’s personal interest override the state interest. I advised the NLC Chairman in the state to invite the whole workers of the state to come to the stadium and discuss the minimum wage issue to know if we were wrong or if the labour union are the people that are wrong.

    “I met with the NLC Chairman alongside others 3 days ago and we discussed this issue. He insisted that the committee was supposed to sign agreement with me but I said no, that the minimum wage is an Act of the National Assembly which doesn’t require me to start signing any other agreement with the NLC and Committee in the state.

    Nwifuru maintained that the state government implemented the minimum wage in line with the provisions of the law, adding that the letter of the NLC fails to address the discrepancies as alleged in their letter.

    He warned members of the labour union against taking their personal interest as the general interest of the workers in the state, adding that, by doing that, they will be breeding what they cannot take.

  • NLC directs FCT council workers to go on strike

    NLC directs FCT council workers to go on strike

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has directed all workers in the six area councils of the FCT to begin indefinite strike from Dec. 1.

    The chairman of the council, Mr Knabanyi Adalo, gave the directive in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

    Idalo explained that this was in adherence to  communique by a the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Nov. 8, in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    He said that the NEC in the communique, appealed to the councils’ chairmen to implement the N70,000 national minimum wage.

    He, however, said that the chairmen had refused to respond to the demand for implementation of the minimum wage in their respective area councils.

    Idalo said that in  response to this inaction, the organised labour in its State Administrative Council meeting held on Nov. 12, unanimously resolved to adhere strictly to the national directive to embark on an indefinite strike.

    He said this directive is subject to any government’s failure to implement the national minimum wage on or before the last day of November.

    “The state administrative council also noted with deep frustration the persistent delay and outright refusal by the area councils’ chairmen to pay some pending entitlements to the workers, including the outstanding arrears of primary school teachers,” Adalo said.

    According to him, failure to implement the new national minimum wage is a gross violation of the law and total disregard to the welfare and well-being of workers in the area councils.

    “Therefore, all workers in the six area councils in FCT are hereby directed  without hesitation to proceed on an indefinite strike beginning from Dec. 1, until further directives,”he said.

  • Cross River workers prepare for strike

    Cross River workers prepare for strike

    The organised labour unions in Cross River says it is set for the industrial action as proposed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    The State chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Monday Ogbodum, said this during an interview in Calabar on Saturday.

    NLC had fixed Sunday midnight for the commencement of the strike if the state government failed to implement the new minimum wage of N70, 000.

    Ogbodum said except the Cross River government implemented the new  wage regime there would be no going back on the industrial action.

    The TUC chairman, who said that negotiation with the state government was still in progress, however said that will not stop them from joining the strike if the need be.

    “Yes, we are still in talk with the government. We had a meeting on Thursday and another one on Friday that ended late in the evening.

    “There is going to be another meeting today (Saturday), but that is not to say things are well, though the government has shown some level of seriousness.

    “Our position is that even if we sign any document or agreement today, that does not still amount to implementation,’’ he said.

  • Polytechnic lecturers insist on strike

    Polytechnic lecturers insist on strike

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has insisted on plans to embark on two weeks warning strike from December 2.

    Mr Kpanja Shammah, President of ASUP, said this while addressing newsmen at the end of its 112th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

    Shammah said that the Federal Government was yet to implement the 11 items in the agreements entered with ASUP.

    Recall that ASUP had issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and other relevant agencies.

    The ultimatum was for them to immediately review and reverse all decisions inconsistent with provisions of the Polytechnics Act and other governance instruments in the sub-sector.

    The union had also alleged issues of impunity and disregard for clear provisions of the Act, various edicts establishing state-owned institutions, and other governance instruments.

    According to  Shammah, as at today, we can only attest to the resolution of item number four while item number two is ongoing. No tangible effort is being made to resolve the other items.

    “To worsen the situation, the beneficiary of the fundamentally flawed Rectorship appointment process in Federal Polytechnic Nekede is currently on a mission to destroy the union in the institution.

    “Following these developments, the union resolved to withdraw the services of its members nationwide with effect from Dec. 2 on two weeks definite strike action in the first instance,” he said.

    He said that the strike would serve as a warning to the government to resolve the issues listed or be held responsible for an indefinite action going forward.

    The ASUP president, however, listed their grievances to include sustained reports of impunity and disrespect of clear provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, different edicts establishing state owned institutions.

    He also cited the appointment of a Rector in Federal Polytechnic, Wannune without following due process.

    He said that others were the non-review of the contentious and suspended document titled “Schemes of Service for Polytechnics”, and non-release of the NEEDS Assessment intervention funds for 2023, among others.

    He called for the understanding and support of members of the public, adding that the union was being forced to, yet again, battle for the soul of Nigeria’s Polytechnic System through industrial action.

    “We hope that the government will work to meet the demands of the union, which is to engender a healthy teaching and learning environment, so as to avoid an indefinite shutdown of the sector”.

  • Magistrates proceed on strike in Cross River State

    Magistrates proceed on strike in Cross River State

    Magistrates in Cross River State on Wednesday embarked on a 3-day warning strike over alleged poor welfare and other conditions of service.

    This is contained in a statement jointly signed by Godwin Onah, Cross River Chairman of Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) and his Secretary, Solomon Abuo in Calabar on Wednesday.

    In the document, the Magistrates noted that the strike would not cease until their demands were met by the government.

    They said that the government had failed to implement their promotions and see to their overall welfare and working environment.

    According to the statement, sequel to our communique issued on Nov. 5, arising from the general meeting where eight demands were made from the Government of Cross River.

    “Furthermore, sequel to our letter to the Governor of Cross River State dated Nov. 11 where the notice of strike, was extended to Friday Nov. 22 to enable the State Government to attend to our demands, and having failed to do so till date, we hereby issue this bulletin.

    “In line therefore with our congress resolution to proceed on a warning strike, three days warning strike is hereby declared by the state chapter of the Magistrates.

    “This action in the first instance, will be effective from 6am of Wednesday, Nov. 27 to Friday, Nov. 29.

    “If the state government fails to meet our demands, an indefinite strike shall be embarked upon until all our demands are fully met,” it said.

    Recalled that the magistrates had earlier in the month issued a seven days ultimatum to the state government to effect promotion for its members that have remained stagnant since 2015.

    The magistrates also decried the payment of N15,000 as monthly  imprest to magistrates in the state when compared to magistrates in neighbouring states that receive between N200,000 and N250,000 monthly.

    While also demanding for the rehabilitation of magistrate courts across the state, the association further condemned the government for none provision of official vehicles to it members.

    It further demanded immediate implementation of promotion and regularisation of magistrates in the state with necessary financial benefits across all cadres as well as the implementation of all accrued arrears.

  • Trade Union Congress threatens strike

    Trade Union Congress threatens strike

    Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called on state governments yet to implement the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments to do so to avoid industrial action in the states.

    Mr Festus Osifo, President of the TUC, made the call while addressing newsmen at the end of its National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Osifo said that NEC in session had raised concerns about the slow pace of implementation in some states, and also on issues that were affecting workers and the downtrodden Nigerians.

    According to him, some states have made progress with the implementation of the minimum wage with up to 80 per of the necessary adjustments processes already in place, while others remain significantly behind.

    “But there are still some states like Zamfara and Cross River that are still backward, and that is why today the organised labour in Cross River is organising a two day warning strike.

    “If the government is not responsive, that two days will now escalate to an indefinite strike. In Zamfara, similar thing may likely happen.

    “We are calling on them to quickly get to the table, have a conversation and reach a conclusion on what the consequecial adjustment should be,”he said.

    Osifo said that the minimum wage issue was beyond the simple announcement of wage figures such as N30,000, N80,000, or N90,000.

    He said that the core issue was the implementation of the necessary adjustments to align wages with the new national standard.

    The TUC president, therefore, urged the state governments to prioritise the welfare of workers and engage in meaningful dialogue with labour unions to resolve the matter.

    “There are some states where there is no conversation whatsoever about the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    “We call on these states to implement the new national minimum wage, along with the consequential adjustments so that workers can start benefiting,” he said.

    Osifo also said that the issue of rising taxes would increase the tax burden on citizens and this could lead to tax evasion.

    He, therefore, urged government authorities to reconsider any proposed tax hikes, particularly at a time when many workers were struggling with the delayed implementation of wage adjustments.

    Speaking on the recent GDP report for the third quarter, Osifo said that while the economy is growing, the service sector, especially banking, played a dominant role in that growth.

    He called on the government to focus on encouraging investment in other key sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and real estate, which he said could create more jobs and reduce unemployment.

    “Government should encourage these banks to lend more to the real sector of the economy.

    “It is that sector that hire a lot of Nigerians, that will hire a lot of workers. We want Nigerians to be engaged.

    ”So we hereby call on government, through the CBN, to come up with robust policies that will encourage the banking sector to lend much more to the real sector of the economy,” he said.

    Labour calls off warning strike in Cross River State

    Meanwhile, Organised Labour in Cross River has directed state civil servants to return to work on Wednesday.

    The directive is contained in a statement issued by the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Mr Monday Ogbodum, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday.

    Ogbodum stated that the directive followed the success of the two-day warning strike over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage by the government.

    According to him, negotiations between the State Government and labour would resume on Thursday.

    “The strike committee wants to thank all workers for their total compliance in the just concluded warning strike from Sunday midnight, November 24 toTuesday, November 26.

    “This demonstrates our collective resolve to ensure that our workers get their due. We appreciate your resilience, not minding the excruciating working conditions we are subjected to. It is our firm belief that together we can move mountains,” the statement added.

    It would be recalled that the workers had embarked on the warning strike, after the negotiation between labour and the government brokedown.

  • Gov Otu begs labour to shelve planned strike

    Gov Otu begs labour to shelve planned strike

    Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River has appealed to labour unions in the state to shelve their planned  industrial action over none implementation of the new minimum wage.

    The governor said his administration remained committed to the implementation of the new wage of N70, 000 recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

    The governor made the appeal during the 5th edition of the State Solemn Assembly held Saturday night at U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

    Represented by his deputy, Dr Peter Odey, Otu said his government would continue to prioritise welfare of workers in the state.

    It would be recalled that labour unions in the state had on Wednesday issued notice of 2-day warning strike scheduled to commence midnight of Sunday.

    The unions attributed the planned action to the breakdown of negotiations between it and the government.

    The organised labour threatened that after the warning strike the industrial action would continue with a December 1 panned nationwide strike.

    “I appeal to the leadership of organised labor and all affiliates of the NLC (Nigeria Labour Congress) and TUC (Trade Union Congress) to suspend their planned strike.

    “I enjoin them to support the government in the quest to improve the lots of our people,’’ Out said.

    He urged the people of Cross River to sustain their support and prayers for the administration to achieve its ‘People First’ mantra.

  • Strike: Labour shifts ground in Cross River

    Strike: Labour shifts ground in Cross River

    The labour unions in Cross River State have postponed the planned industrial action slated to commence on Wednesday after negotiations hit dead end between the unions and the government.

    The organised labour however, slated a 2-day warning strike for November 25 and 26. The state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Monday Ogbodum, disclosed this in Calabar on Tuesday.

    He said that the decision for the warning strike was arrived at following the meeting of various organs of organised labour in the state on Tuesday.

    Ogbodum however, said that the government had again invited labour to reconvene on Thursday after they (labour) staged a walkout from the meeting of the Joint Public Service Negotiating and Implementation Committee on the new minimum wage on Monday.

    According to him, we have just concluded our meetings and our agreement is that we will shelve the planned strike for Wednesday for a warning strike that will take place on Monday and Tuesday.

    “As for Thursday meeting, we will attend and if they are still not bringing anything concrete on the table by Thursday, we will have no option than to embark on the national strike slated for December 1. But the warning strike will definitely take place on Monday and Tuesday.”

    It would be recalled that the labour unions had attributed government inaction towards implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage as the reason for their walkout.

    “From the look of things, this same committee seems not ready for anything. We have heard from grapevine that the government is not looking at commencing implementation until January 2025. Our worry is that the Cross River Governor was a member of this committee that gave birth to the new wage.

    “He was South South representative in that committee and he is the one lagging behind while other states have already made pronouncement on this new wage to the workers.

    “Before now, he has assured us that he will implement whatever that is agreed upon. As we speak, there is no sign of seriousness that the government is ready for the workers.”

    Also speaking on Monday, the NLC chairman in the state, Mr Gregory Olayi, said that labour staged a walkout because the government representative in the committee appeared not serious .

    He said that aside the fact that the government had not put anything on the table, the government representative seemed not to be acting on the mandate of the governor.

    “In our last meeting on Thursday, they formed a technical committee which we had expected will come with something for us to discuss with. They came empty and unprepared from the look of things and we had to stage a walkout until they are prepared for us,” he said.

    Olayi said that labour was meeting with all its organs in Cross River on Tuesday and whatever decision of the organs would be followed.

    “We had on Thursday gave the government, a 7 day ultimatum, which expires Monday midnight. We will be meeting with all the organs and whatever decision taken, we all will see to it after the meeting on Tuesday.

  • Minimum Wage: Organised Labour to commence strike Wednesday

    Minimum Wage: Organised Labour to commence strike Wednesday

    The Organised Labour in Cross River says they will not guarantee industrial harmony from Wednesday if the state government failed to concretise plans to implement the N70,000 national minimum wage.

    The labour unions made their stand known after staging a walkout at a scheduled meeting with the Joint Public Service Negotiating and Implementation Committee on the new wage on Monday in Calabar.

    The committee chaired by the State Head of Service, Dr Innocent Eteng, also have representatives of the various labour unions, including Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Speaking with NAN on the reason for the walkout, state chairman of TUC, Mr Monday Ogbodum said the government appeared not committed to the implementation of the new wage.

    Ogbodum noted that it was labour’s position that had earlier forced the government to set up the committee.

    “From the look of things, this same committee seems not ready for anything.

    “We have heard from the grapevine that the government is not looking at commencing implementation until January 2025, ” he said.

    The TUC state chairman said that the labour unions received a directive from their national leadership that the implementation of the new wage begins from October.

    “Our worry is that the Cross River Governor was a member of this committee that gave birth to the new wage.

    “He was South-South representative in that committee and he is the one lagging behind while other states have already made pronouncement on this new wage to the workers, ” he said.

    Ogbodum disclosed that the governor had before now promised the workers that  he would implement whatever that was agreed upon.

    Also speaking, the state chairman of NLC, Mr Gregory Olayi said that labour staged a walkout because the government representative in the committee appeared not serious .

    He said aside the fact that the government had not put anything on the table, the government representative seems not to be acting on the mandate of the governor.

    “In our last meeting on Thursday, they formed a technical committee which we had expected, will come with something for us to discuss with.

    “They came empty and unprepared from the look of things and we had to stage a walkout until they are prepared for us,” he said.

    Continuing, Olayi said that labour is meeting with all its organs in Cross River on Tuesday and whatever decision of the organs are will be followed.

    “We had on Thursday gave them (Government) a 7-day ultimatum which expires Monday midnight.

    “We will be meeting with all the organs and whatever decision taken we will all see to it after the meeting on Tuesday.

    Attempts made to get government position on this was not successful as the state Head of Service, Dr Innocent Eteng did not pick his calls nor return message sent to his mobile phone number.