From Leo Nzwanke, Lafia
The leaders of organised labour in Nasarawa State say they have turned down the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government to suspend the ongoing strike action because a part of the agreement reached earlier with the government was doctored.
This was disclosed by the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Yusuf Sarki Iya, and Mohammed Doma, Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), to reporters in Labour House Makurdi Road, after the union Congress meeting on Tuesday Lafia.
Iya said that a committee was set up by the state government chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, after the union embarked on the strike action, collectively come up with a document, memorandum of Understanding (MoU) translating in clarity what the government and the union had agreed to end the strike action.
Iya said even though the government had agreed to some of their Paramount demands which is the payment of the last Trench of August 2016 salary arrears in June 2021.
He also said promotions would also be implemented from August while discussion on minimum wage would continue with the committee that was set up by the government to also discuss the issue of the consequential adjustments for workers in level seven and above.
Surprisingly he said: ‘The government doctored the agreement and included a clause that, whenever the federal allocation is less than N4 billion, the government would revert to old payment.
‘Meaning that any month the allocation is less than N4 billion the government would suspend the implementation of the promotion and pay workers in their old grade levels,’ the NLC chairman stated.
Sarki further explained that signing the MOU with the said clause would be colossal damage to the integrity of the union, thereby mortgaging the destiny of workers in the state adding that the leadership of the union would not succumb to that situation.
On his part, TUC Chairman Mohammed Doma expressed displeasure with the government for including a clause that was not originally contained in the agreement written by representatives of labour and the government.
He added that workers were very patient with the government but had to embark on the strike action to fight for their rights towards ensuring the progression of a career in the state.
He, however, used the opportunity to commend workers for their support and resilience since the strike started on August 15th of this month saying workers would continue to stay at home until their demands are made by the state government.
Daily Sun reports that the demands of the union include; partial implementation of minimum wage without recourse to due process of collective bargaining, lack of implementation of promotions since 2008, among others.