•We may apply ‘no work, no pay rule’ —Govt
STRIKING workers in Ogun State, on Tuesday, said
they cannot be intimidated by any form of threat
from the government to return to work, as the
industrial action enters the third day.
The workers noted that a directive issued by
government on Monday asking civil servants to
report to their offices and that registers would be
opened at various Ministries, Departments and
Agencies for attendance should be ignored.
Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of
Journalists (NUJ), Iwe-Irohin Hall, the state Chairman
of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating
Council, Comrade Abiodun Olakanmi, urged workers
to disregard all efforts of the government to
intimidate them, insisting that the strike continues
until further notice.
Olakanmi, flanked by the chairmen of the Nigeria
Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress,
Comrades Akeem Ambali and Olubunmi Fajobi
respectively, maintained that organised labour in
the state would not submit to cheap propaganda on
the part of the government.
The labour leader said, “The JNC hereby states
categorically that all machinations of the state
government to intimidate workers and coerce them
to submission and servitude be disregarded.
“Under no condition would the organised labour in
the state submit to cheap propaganda being peddled
by the government.
“It should be mentioned that until the government
remit all deductions from workers’ salaries, there is
no going back.
“The JNC, therefore, call on workers to reject
outrightly the threatening message being circulated
by the state government directing workers to report
to work. You are advised to keep calm and stay at
home until the strike is called off by labour leaders
in the state.”
Meanwhile, there was a little skirmish in the early
hours of Tuesday during a peaceful rally by the
labour leaders, as police arrested two members of
the union.
One of the members was said to be handcuffed and
they fired canisters at the other members to
disperse the crowd.
On the incident, Olakanmi explained that the rally
monitored by men of the Quick Rapid Response
Squad was peaceful and that he could not explain
what led to the firing of the canisters.
He told newsmen that the Secretary to the State
Government (SSG), Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, addressed
them within the government secretariat on the strike
issue.
Olakanmi said that those arrested had been
released and that item collected was also returned
to them.
The SSG, in an interview with journalists, denied any
form of maltreatment on the part of the police to the
workers, adding that government may employ the
‘no work no pay rule.’
“I was there this morning. The police conducted
themselves in a civil and responsible manner. I was
there to preach peace with the labour leaders on the
need to show understanding on some of the issues
raised.
“However, the workers, sensing that the strike had
failed, went round the offices to physically assault
the staff to return home. They were frustrated
because their plan had failed,” Adeoluwa said.
Asked why government reneged on the MoU signed
with the workers on January 25, the SSG said there
was no agreement between the state workforce and
government that had not been fulfilled.
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