Monday, July 27, 2015

Imo State workers begin five-day warning strike today




AFTER the meeting between Governor Rochas Okorocha, and the labour unions in Imo State on the unpaid salaries ended without comprise, the unions have directed all their workers to begin a “warning strike” today.

The unions issued a statement to that effect yesterday in Owerri, signed by the Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Hycinth Emele, and Secretary, Duruegwu Kyrian, President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and Secretary, E N. Iwuji Ambrose Onuoha.

The others are the Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Austin Chilakpu, Chairman, Joint Health Workers Union (JUHUSU), Nzenwata Francis and Secretary, Ikedi Onah, Chairman of ANGNDP, Dr. D. C. A. Akaogwu, and Assistant Secretary, Dr. Emeka Okereke.

NMA Chairman, Emele, told The Guardian that the association joined the organised labour because the governor failed to recognise the association even as he regretted the state government’s unfriendly treatment of workers.

“Some people are wondering why NMA joined the organised labour. The governor is not recognising the NMA. Many of our colleagues, medical doctors, are not paid,” he said.

According to the workers, by directing the payment of half pay for a month and by cheque in the 27 councils, Okorocha is being insensitive to the workers who are owed five months and over, primary school teachers who are being owed for 18 months, and retirees, who die in their numbers, having waited in vain for over a year.

They also condemned the “endless verification exercises” while those without problems are not being paid. However, Okorocha has invited the workers for another dialogue on Wednesday.

He urged them to consider his consistency in the past and the Christmas bonuses he had given them, noting that the nation’s economic difficulties have made the irregular payment of salaries inevitable.

“I want to appeal to workers in Imo State, especially those concerned, to shun the strike at this time we are trying to rebuild the entire state for the good of our people,” he said. “We did enter an agreement. I want them to respect that agreement.”

Culled from ngrguardiannews

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