Labour unions in Kaduna State, on Wednesday gave governor Nasir El-Rufai seven days ultimatum to stop further verification exercise of workers in the state as well as other anti labour exercises.
The national bodies of the labour union also asked governor El-Rufai to pay all backlogs of salaries owed workers in the state or face the wrath of organized labour unions and civil society organizations in the state.
Addressing a crowd of workers at Kaduna NLC Headquarters, Wednesday, NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Waba and TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama in their separate speeches said they were prepared to fight El-Rufai until he reversed all plans to deny civil servants their rights to remain as union members.
According Waba, NLC and TUC were prepared to mobilise workers, labour unions and civil society organisations to occupy Kaduna after the seven days ultimatum expired.
Comrade Waba said any governor who did not believe in unionism and welfare of workers would be resisted and voted out come 2019.
Similarly, the TUC President, Comrade Kaigama said it was high time El-Rufai was reminded that workers voted him into office as governor and should not turn his back against them.
According to Kaigama, “He came into power as a result of President Muhammadu Buhari’s influence; so, he might not understand the importance of workers, but we would make him realise that if he remains adamant.”
He, however, emphasised that failure to pay workers their salaries between the expiration of the 7-day ultimatum, labour would be left with no option than to shut Kaduna down.
On the issue of workers that died in Zaria bomb blast during the first verification exercise in the state, Waba said El-Rufai must compensate families of the workers immediately.
“We gathered that El-Rufai promised to compensate families of the victims of the bomb blast, but as we talk, nothing has been done. This shows that he is insensitive as a leader, ” Waba stated.
While the NLC and TUC presidents mounted the podium to talk, the angry workers chanted union songs in support of their leaders saying “enough of intimidation, El-Rufai, pay us our salaries.”
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