Labour Movement Rejects Half Salary For March Offered By Aregbesola
Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria University (SSANU), University of Ibadan (UI) Branch, Mr Wale Akinremi addressing the members of SSANU and others at the joint congress on strike action over non payment of 2009 agreement with Federal Government at UI yesterday. PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM
LABOUR movement in Osun state yesterday rejected half salaries for the month of March approved for primary school teachers and workers in the 30 local councils of the state, including the Area Office at Modakeke-Ife, by the state government.
The workers at a press briefing by the leadership of all unions in the state held at the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) unanimously turned down the payment of half salary, insisting they would accept nothing short of five months’ outstanding salaries from the state government.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola had on Thursday approved payment of 50 per cent for March salaries of the workers but the workers rejected the salary on an excuse that the money cannot solve their problems.
The Guardian learnt yesterday that government negotiation team, led by the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oketola had held a marathon meeting with leaders of the National Union of Local Governments Employees (NULGE) and Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) but the negotiation was deadlocked when it became obvious that what the government was ready to pay did not meet the expectation of the workers.
Sources at the meeting which lasted till the early hours of Thursday told The Guardian that the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and their counterpart, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) leaders were resolute and refused to accept payment of 50 per cent of their March salary.
The state chairman of NUT, Mr. Wakeel Amuda said “we heard it as a rumour that the government had concluded the plan to pay 50 per cent of March salaries for local government workers and primary school teachers. They must not make the mistake of making part payment because the union will resist it.
They have assured us that they will pay in full.” Asked if primary school teachers and council workers would suspend their strike if the March salaries were paid in full, Amuda said they would not until the government pays all the workers their five months salaries. Efforts to get the reaction of government was futile as the media aide to Aregbesola, Semiu Okanlawon, did pick calls put to his cell phone as at press time.
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9 Comments
NLC should present a viable solution to the Osun state government.
NO! NLC SHOULD SEND A STRONG WARNING TO TREASURY THIEF, AREGBESOLA.
Osun has the second highest wage bill in the federation behind Lagos. Osun state is one of the poorest state in Nigeria. If I were running Osun State, I would cut the government work force by 60 percent. Aregbesola is kind trying to at least offer the workers a life line. If they don’t like the 50 percent pay cut, they can quit. It is not by force to work for the government. The NLC don’t live in reality. They are hurting their workers. Do they want the Osun state government to steal the money? How do they expect the Osun state government to pay them?
Why a they maintaining that kind of large state workforce? Are they all teachers? It is only teachers that I recognize as essential state workforce. He should reduce the others by 90% or more if they can not generate revenue locally to pay them. Security in the state is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
THIS IS THE TIME TO STONE THESE CORRUPT LOOTERS LIKE AREGBESOLA.
THEY ARE NOTHING BUT HEARTLESS LOOTERS AND TREASURY THIEVES WHO STEAL AND MISAPPROPRIATE FUNDS ON DAILY BASIS, WORTHY OF ALL PUNISHMENTS INCLUDING STONING. HE IS THERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE NOT HIMSELF AND HIS FAT POCKETS.
THESE LOW-LIFE THIEVES ARE BEASTS OF NO CONSCIENCE, NO SELF-RESPECT AND NO DIGNITY.
ONE MORE THING, WORKERS SALARIES IS THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND NOT OPEN TO ANY NEGOTIATION WHATEVER. ANY SUCH OFFERS OR NEGOTIATION SHOULD BE RESISTED AND REJECTED OUTRIGHT WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.
I will advice Ogbeni to pay all workers salary arrears and negotiate afresh with them.
It will be difficult to reverse the mess of
state creation by the military otherwise I would have suggested scrapping of the
states. The creation was political and corruption motivated and not fit for purpose. For Osun state governor to offer teachers and local
government workers 50% of their unpaid 5 months’ salary is an insult to
Nigerian workers. The workers must stand their ground and reject anything less
than 100% of their pay. They must ask the governor if he received his salaries
or not during the period under preview.
Can’t aregbesola just resign?
He spent so much time on hijab and other religious issues. One wonders if his religion allows him not to pay workers
We will review and take appropriate action.