The Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, today, Monday June 29, began an indefinite strike action after it said attempts to negotiate with the Cross River State government failed.
NLC accused the state government of failing to address their demands but instead turned a blind eye to all their request by sourcing for a court injection to stop the expression of their constitutional rights.
Comrade Ben Ukpabi, the NLC chairman in Cross River State said: “It is very obvious that Cross River state is not interested in the welfare of her workers. Workers issues presented to government have been ignored. Even some issues that Organised Labour has reached agreement on have all been abandoned and rejected by the government.
NLC accused the state government of failing to address their demands but instead turned a blind eye to all their request by sourcing for a court injection to stop the expression of their constitutional rights.
Comrade Ben Ukpabi, the NLC chairman in Cross River State said: “It is very obvious that Cross River state is not interested in the welfare of her workers. Workers issues presented to government have been ignored. Even some issues that Organised Labour has reached agreement on have all been abandoned and rejected by the government.
“Be informed that some of our workers whose names were unjustly removed from the payroll have died, we have lost about five members and we can no longer keep mum, enough is enough.
“Others request including implementation of promotion given four years ago, the return of workers whose names were illegally removed from payroll last year September, payment of pensions and gratuities for six years now amongst other demands.
“Immediate return of weighing allowance to NUPPROW members and RATAWU. Payment of salary of workers employed two years about 2000 of them have not been paid, the allowance is a federal thing and should be returned and so on.
“I want to say here that we have given 14 days, we have also given another 7 days yet no response on the part of the government, and that is why we believe they are not serious and unperturbed about our cry.
“On this note starting from Monday 29, June we advise every civil servant in Cross River state, to stay at home, nobody will sack you, nobody will victimise you in any way.
“Do not allow the labour task force to drive you home from your various offices, stay at home until there is further.
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, has disagreed with the NLC, dissociating itself from the strike action.
Speaking at a press conference, TUC vice-chairman, Comrade Gabriel Effiong, who was flanked by the secretary, Ken Bassey and other leaders, said: “We would rather continue negotiation with the state government on those issues.
“The TUC’s position against the strike called by the NLC is not to please the government, rather, the decision is taken out of conviction and as a matter of principles as the NLC leadership in the state did not build consensus among stakeholders before issuing the 14- day ultimatum to the state government,”
The TUC leadership said some of the demands submitted by NLC were genuine and were being looked into by the government, but that the congress was never consulted before the ultimatum was issued to the government.
“We disassociate ourselves and affiliates from the ill-fated, ill-advised and unwarranted ultimatum at this very critical time. During this COVID-19 pandemic, all hands should be on desk to steer our economy to safe grounds and not threats of industrial action,” the group stated.
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