By Onyinyechi Amakaulo
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has boxed the Imo State government into a tight corner thereby forcing the governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma make a volte face about his stand on the leadership of the state chapter as well as succumb to earlier demands.
Labour in Imo State had earlier moved against the governor by ordering a strike action after it discovered that contrary to claims not less than 17,000 workers and pensioners were not captured in the monthly payment schedule.
Other matters that pitched the NLC against Uzodinma was the non payment of N30,000 minimum wage as well as series of deductions and slashes in salaries of the state workers.
In apparent bid to cut the size of the workers body against these demands and also apply divide and rule tactics, the state government backed a factional group led by one Uchehara who alongside suspected hoodlums was accused to have broken into the NLC complex in Owerri to vandalise items in the office.
Apart from recognizing the outlawed Uchehara faction and according them recognition in Government House, Owerri, the State government went further to call the bluff of the workers by threatening to sanction any civil servant who obeyed the strike action of Chilakpu led NLC.
But the appearance of NLC national officers in Owerri last weekend changed the tide forcing the governor to cease fire against the labour. After giving indication that Uzodinma by his action was trying to invite anarchy in the state, a meeting in Owerri saw Uzodinma make a U-turn about his position on the labour.
Trumpeta was informed that after the meeting, several points were reached upon.
Trumpeta learnt that the Governor approved the immediate clearance of the outstanding salary arrears and underpayments. A Committee of the Organized Labour is to be immediately set-up to work with the complaint forms submitted by the affected Workers with a view to effecting the payments immediately.
He also approved the implementation of the new 30,000 minimum wage with a charge to the already existing Minimum Wage Committee of the State to expedite actions and come up with agreeable consequential adjustments with immediate effect.
Expectedly, the Governor and the Organized Labour disowned the illegal Caretaker Committee Chairman purportedly imposed on the NLC and reaffirmed their implicit confidence on the leadership of NLC led by Comr. Austin Chilakpu.
Other issues the state government agreed to implement are payment of check off dues and
The indefinite strike action to be suspended with effect from Monday, 1/2/21
Also other demands are to be handled by the Committee to be set up by the Comr. Austin Chilakpu led Organized Labour in the State.
Meanwhile, the labour unions is said to have commended Uzodinma for prompt payment of salaries.
According to the statement; the National leadership of the organized labour are the commended Gov Hope Uzodinma of Imo State for prompt payment of salaries inspite of the economic challenges facing the country.
It also praised the governor for his prudent management of the state’s resources resulting to the execution of capital projects in addition to the payment of salaries.
Consequently, the organized labour pledged to work harmoniously with the governor to ensure that the welfare of workers still occupy the front burner in government’s priorities.
After meeting with the governor and other top government officials, the labour leaders stressed the need for support for the Governor to enable him do more for workers.
In a communique jointly signed by Chief Cosmas Iwu, Secretary to the government of the state, Dr. Chibuzuo.
C Iwuagwu, Head of Service and Hon Declan Emelumba, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, for the Government and Dr. Nasir Idiris, Deputy President NLC, Musa Lawal, mni, Secretary General, TUC and Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary, NLC, for the organized labour; it was resolved that the payment of the new minimum wage will commence immediately while the consequential adjustments will be addressed later.
It was also agreed that outstanding payments of check off dues to the relevant labour unions will commence immediately.
On the non receipt of salaries by some workers, it was agreed that a joint committee of organized labour be set up to address the complaints and that verified genuine ones are to be paid immediately.
It was further agreed that a committee be set up to look into the complaints of the joint health sector unions.
