Ogun State Government has reacted to the indefinite strike noticed issued by the organized labour.
Labour gave a fresh 72-hour ultimatum to the Ogun State government after the expiration of the 23-day warning notice.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr. Taiwo Adeoluwa in a statement on Tuesday, wondered “why this few, unpopular elements would seek to lead workers out on a misguided strike action since government has not defaulted in the payment of salaries as and when due.”
“For instance, the Ogun State government paid its workers September salaries on September 25, 2016. With regards to the backlog of unpaid cooperative deductions, the SSG added that the state government has also kept faith with an agreement it reached with labour leaders in March 2016 to the effect that one month of cooperative deductions would be paid, alongside monthly salaries, every two months.
“We promised to pay outstanding gratuities when we receive bulk funds from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) but this has not been forthcoming due to the dwindling revenue profile of the state.
“In view of this, the Ogun State government therefore declares the proposed strike action as illegal, unreasonable and totally uncalled for while urging the generality of its workforce not to heed the call of a few misguided elements whose motive is clearly political”, he stated.
The SSG added that that the government, therefore, invoked the ‘no work, no pay’ rule of the Trade Dispute Act in relation to any worker “who chose to embark on this illegal strike action.”
Reacting, Ogun Chairman of Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Olubunmi Fajobi, declared: “We are going ahead with the strike, it is legitimate, constitutional and legal”.
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