Workers shun labour strike in Yobe
Workers in Yobe state have defied the nationwide strike action embarked upon by the organized labour on minimum wage. Our correspondent who went round the state capital, Damaturu reported that government business is going on everywhere in the state. At the state secretariat, which housed various ministries, both senior and junior civil servants were seen […]
Workers shun labour strike in Yobe
Workers in Yobe state have defied the nationwide strike action embarked upon by the organized labour on minimum wage.
Our correspondent who went round the state capital, Damaturu reported that government business is going on everywhere in the state.
At the state secretariat, which housed various ministries, both senior and junior civil servants were seen at their duty posts.
Baana Damaturu, a civil servant told our correspondent that he was not aware that the strike had commenced until he arrived office in the morning.
“To my surprise, everyone is around. If the commissioners and permanent secretaries are at their duty posts we cannot leave the premises”, he said.
Our correspondent also report that workers were at their duty posts in banks, schools and hospitals across the state. When contacted, the state chairman of the National Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Lawan Ibrahim said they stand with the mother union on the strike action.
“We are in total compliance with the national action. Workers only turned out at their work places because the information was not received early”.
“Although we have no issue with our state as regard to salaries, pension or gratuity but, we most embark on the strike in solidarity to the national secretariat”, he said.
Ibrahim said that NLC in the state and Yobe state government had, months ago, started negotiation on the new minimum wage for workers in the state.
“Then, the state government agreed to pay N41,000 as new minimum wage which we declined and insisted on N56,500. But, now we are on the same page with NLC national secretariat of N68,500”, he added.