Kaduna workers’ union meets today over 4 day working week

The administrative and executive officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna would meet today to discuss the new four-day working policy declared in the state. The state NLC Chairman, Ayuba Magaji Sulieman, who confirmed the meeting to Daily Trust on Wednesday, said the workers would come out with their position on the matter […]

The administrative and executive officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna would meet today to discuss the new four-day working policy declared in the state.

The state NLC Chairman, Ayuba Magaji Sulieman, who confirmed the meeting to Daily Trust on Wednesday, said the workers would come out with their position on the matter after the meeting.

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He said, “Issues of working hours is a pure labour matter. It is a serious issue that the state government has no right to declare and even if such decisions are to be made, it should be in consultation with workers representatives.”

 While stating that the policy would lessen the pressure on workers, he said the union was entertaining fear “because of the state government’s past policies which have not been favourable to Kaduna workers.”

The state government had on Monday said it would begin a transition to a four-day working week starting from December 1.

By this, public servants in the state, except those in schools and healthcare facilities, would be permitted to work from home for one day a week.

But a few workers in the state who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity expressed the fear that the action could be a sign for another mass sack. 

“With the free day declared, I will use it to tend to my poultry farm, I rarely have time to do a lot on the farm because of work, but since I have one free day, I will use it wisely so that in the event I no longer have a job, I can fall back to it,” a worker on level 9 said. 

Another worker opined that the government may be thinking of reducing workers’ salaries, especially with the new verification widow opened by the state government.