The organised labour in Ogun State has threatened to embark on an industrial strike any moment from today, Friday.
The decision was reportedly reached after the inability of Gov Dapo Abiodun to pay the national minimum wage of N30,000 and repeated requests for dialogue which were ignored.
The organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, consequently resolved that they could no longer guarantee industrial harmony in the state.
This was contained in a letter dated November 22, 2019, and addressed to the governor through the Head of Service, Lanre Bisiriyu.
The letter, titled “Concern Over The Delay In The Negotiation on the New National Minimum Wage And Other Sundry Issues”, was jointly signed by the Chairman of the NLC, Emmanuel Bankole and his counterpart in the TUC, Olubunmi Fajobi; the Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council, Folorunso Bankole; and the Secretary, Adebiyi Olusegun.
According to the union, “The government’s failure to hold a formal meeting with the labour portends that the latter (labour) is seen as inconsequential in the algorithms of advancing the cause of our dear state but as well has been positioned on master-servant scale of industrial relationship.
” The industrial peace currently being experienced in the state may not be assured any further in the event that our call received no further action not later than Friday, 6th December 2019.”
Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, said the governor had reassured the organised labour of his commitment to enter into negotiation as the issues had been taken care of in the proposed 2020 budget presented on Tuesday.