Kwara workers threaten to down tools, give 14 days ultimatum

Public workers in Kwara State under the aegis of the Joint Kwara Labour Congress Tuesday issued 14 days ultimatum to the state government to meet their ten-point demand or they will be forced to down tools. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin at a joint press conference by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, […]

Public workers in Kwara State under the aegis of the Joint Kwara Labour Congress Tuesday issued 14 days ultimatum to the state government to meet their ten-point demand or they will be forced to down tools.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin at a joint press conference by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and JNC, the union said the ultimatum to the state government is effective from Tuesday, January 9, 2024.

The NLC chairman, Comrade Murtala Saheed, who addressed the media, said their 10-point demand includes: “non-payment of N35,000 wage award, non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage for pensioners and lack of willingness to clear outstanding salary arrears of local government workers, among others.”

He said, “The body language of our government does not suit the purpose of mending the cracks which cut across both the formal and informal sectors of the state economically, psychologically, physically and morally.

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“On several occasions, the unions have written to the government on the demands of workers but there has not been a change or attempt to address them.

“As we speak, all industrial unions in the state have one demand or another that requires government attention. This is not forthcoming as the government has remained incommunicado.

“Most pathetic is the fact that the government of our dear state has refused to honour/implement all written and gentlemanly agreements it entered into with labour.”

Reacting to the development in a statement, Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju, said the government is “committed to promoting the welfare of workers and the people of the state” and called on the labour unions to embrace dialogue.