THE organised labour in Cross River State commenced an indefinite strike Tuesday to press home their demands, a strike bulletin signed by the leadership of organized labour in the state said all state and local government workers were asked to “down tools to press home our demands.”
According to Bulletin 2 issued by the Action Committee of the strike on Tuesday, the unions said workers are unflinching and resolute in their demand for the payment of gratuity to retirees of both state and local governments, which has been pending since 2014 and 2012.
It also said implementation of promotion for workers in both state and local governments have been pending, just as it demanded for the remittance of deductions from workers salaries should be made immediately.
The bulletin also demanded for the full implementation of the N30 thousand minimum wage to both state and local government workers. “Comrades, continue to stay at home until you hear from us,” the Action Committee said in the bulletin.
Since last week, the leadership of organized labour in the state, made up of the NLC, TUC and the State Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (SJPSNC) have had series of meeting mobilizing towards the commencement of the strike on Tuesday.
In the first bulleting dated October 6, the Action Committee had stated: “Dear comrades, whereas an enlarged congress of organised labour met on Wednesday, 6th October, 2021 at Nigerian Civil Service Union Secretariat to deliberate on the many issues troubling the workers of Cross River State; whereas the congress, after extensive deliberation, resolved that all the workers in the state and local government should down tools to press home our grievances.
“Workers are hereby called upon to stay at home, from Tuesday 12th October, 2021.”
In a statement after their October 7, 2021 congress, signed by the state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Ben Ukpepi; his TUC counterpart, Comrade Monday Ogbodum, and four other officials, the workers had listed total of 14 demands and grievances. These, among others, include the implementation of both state and local government workers, remittance of deductions from workers’ salaries, full implementation of minimum wage and implementation of full 27.5 per cent teachers enhancement allowance.
