Workers In Ebonyi Embark On Indefinite Strike

FROM IGNATIUS OKPARA, Abakaliki – Workers in Ebonyi State, on Tuesday commenced an indefinite strike, to press home their demand for payment of September 2011 salaries withheld by the government and the implementation of 2011 minimum wage.

Chairman of Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) in the state, comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor, said the union had earlier on December 23, 2014 given the state government 21-day ultimatum after which it embarked on another three-day warning strike on January 21, 2015 to meet their demands but to no avail.

“Following Ebonyi State Government’s unwillingness to meet with the demands of the organized labour with respect to implementation of the submitted report of the committee that revisited the table of the Ebonyi state Civil/Public Salary Structure and September 2011 withheld salaries, the organized labour in Ebonyi State hereby declares an indefinite strike effective from Tuesday, March 10, 2015.”

The labour leader stated that the strike was ‘irrevocable and irreversible’ unless their demands were met, adding that the union met with the government to pay the outstanding salaries and implement the new minimum wage as approved by the Federal Government.

“Accordingly, all civil/public service workers in Ebonyi State employment, local government employees and teachers are directed to proceed on an indefinite strike until government meets up with our demands.

“Consequently, workers are mandated to stay in their homes and await further directives from the leadership of organized labour in Ebonyi” he said