A major industrial unrest looms in Kwara State as organised labour has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state government for failure to meet its demands.
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The demands, according to Murtala Saheed Olayinka, Tunde Joseph and Saliu Suleiman, respectively chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiation Council, JNC, in the state, include the non-implementation of the N35, 000 wage award for all categories of workers in the state following the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.
At a press conference in Ilorin, organised labour also complained about the refusal of the state government to domesticate and implement 40 per cent peculiar allowances as approved and provided for by the federal government.
Other demands include payment of consequential adjustments to pensioners since the approval of the current new minimum wage by the federal government in 2019 and a lack of willingness to pay local government workers outstanding arrears.
The body also decried inadequate funding of the state-owned tertiary institutions, a lack of willingness to absorb and proper placement of Kwara Hotel workers without any condition and a lack of proper placement of the redeployed Water Corporation staff into the core Kwara Civil Service.
The labour movement said it was forced to issue the ultimatum given the blatant refusal of the state government to heed the demands by workers of the state government, hence raising the fear of industrial peace and harmony.
“In view of this, the Labour Congress of Kwara workers has reviewed the unpalatable disposition of government towards Kwara workers and, therefore, given the Kwara State government a 14-day ultimatum, effective January 9, 2024, to address all issues raised and communicated before now.
“On several occasions, both NLC and TUC have written to the government about the demands of workers and observed ills in our state. Unfortunately, there was no change or attempt to address the issues raised in our letters.
“Most pathetic is the fact that the government of our dear state has refused to honour and implement all written and gentleman’s agreements it entered into with labour,” the body stated.