Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, has disagreed with the Akwa Ibom State government over the nonpayment of 723 of its members in the state.
Sunny James, it’s state chapter chairman, at a solemn assembly of the union on Sunday, December 29, 2019, disclosed that government had since July this year stopped the salaries 723 workers without giving good reasons for the action.
James said that four of their members who hitherto worked in Jubilee syringe company were sacked for demanding for their right.
“The State Government stopped salaries of 723 workers since July till date. They have neither been recalled nor given reasons for the stoppage of their salaries and they have not been sacked though they (State Government) are contending sack.
” You can not employ somebody and he has been working for two years and suddenly you say the mode of their employment was not correct. So labour is not in agreement with what mode of a employment they are talking about.
“In 2019, four labour leaders who did nothing wrong were sacked from Jubilee syringe company for demanding for their right.
” Although we have reported to the Governor, they are yet to be recalled”, he stated.
James lamented that retired workers in the state from 1999 till date have not been paid their gratuities, adding that salaries and other entitlement have not been paid to Local Government workers even as the Governor has given directives to the effect.
He maintained that the action of the state government was a total show of labour victimization which should not be accepted.
NLC disclosed that the dateline given to all the states in the country for the payment of consequential salary adjustment still stands.
It maintained that if by 31st of December still states refuse to pay the new minimum wage the Union would swing into action.
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