Strike: Labour gives Niger government fresh conditions

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Niger has made three points demand to enable it suspend the ongoing seven-day strike in the state.

Mr Yakubu Garba, the state Chairman, NLC made this known on Sunday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

“We held a meeting with the government team on Saturday night and agreed that the October salaries of Local Government workers be paid.

“Organised labour also demanded that the state government remit corporative deductions to workers and 80 civil servants dismissed from service be re-instated,” he said.

Garba said that government was given up to the end of December this year to pay 30 per cent salary deductions (deferment) made in June including the 30 and 35 per cent cut in November salaries this year.

He stressed that failure to meet the three point’s demand the industrial action would continue.

Recall that before the agreement with government on Saturday, organised labour had demanded that the 30 per cent deferred balance of June salaries of workers must be paid.

That November salaries of workers must be paid 100 per cent and the 80 civil servants dismissed by the government must be re-absolved into service.

Responding, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy told NAN that since the inception of Gov. Abubakar Bello led government five years ago payment of workers’ salaries has been of topmost priority.

Idris said that the recession caused by the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in dwindling resources from the Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He called on the organised labour to show understanding to enable government carry along other sectors of the state.

The Commissioner said that whatever was owed the workers now would be paid when the economy improves.

“Labour should understand that payment of workers’ salaries has not been a challenge for government.

“Therefore we appeal for their understanding to enable us move the state forward,” he said.