WORKERS in Ondo State yesterday began a two day warning strike accusing government of insincerity in the payment of their two months salary arrears despite collecting N14b bail out from the federal government. But in a swift reaction, the State government described the strike as an embarrassment and an unpatriotic act on the part of the workers since they have started receiving the July salary on Tuesday.
The August salary is still outstanding despite government assurance on Tuesday that it would be paid together with that of July. However, government source revealed that the August salary will still be paid Wednesday.
Government offices were under lock and keys yesterday in compliance with the directive of labour leaders in the state that workers should commence a warning strike Wednesday and Friday because of Thursday’s independence day holiday.
Labour leaders, as early as 7am moved from one government offices to the other to ensure total compliance.
The. State Chairman of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Mr Sunday Adeleye said the government only tried to divide the workers by paying net salary for the month of July to core civil servants and secondary school teachers.
Adeleye pointed out that government has not paid anything to workers in the local government and primary school teachers and other categories of workers.
According to him the state government had breached the agreement it reached with labour leaders at the meeting where it was agreed that gross salaries of July and August and deductions for the Month and June would be paid. The JNC chairman said the government, apart from not paying primary school teachers and local government workers, is also withholding deductions for the month of July.
He said the action of the government was contrary to what was been aired on the State Radiovision Corporation that government had commenced payment of salaries of July and August to all workers. Adeleye said workers are aware that the government had placed the bail out fund received from the Federal Government in a fixed deposit account to yield interest.
The Information Commissioner Kayode Akinmade said the delay in the August salaries was due to bank processes adding that the strike was politically motivated. Akinmade pointed out that the workers would have shown understanding with government which promised to pay their July and August outstanding salaries.
Also, the Head of Service, Mr Toyin Akinkuotu while reacting to the strike action said the “labour leaders were unfair to the government because they had agreed during the meeting that things would be sorted out amicably. Akinkuotu said that the strike” is uncalled for since they all knew that two months salaries cannot be paid at once with the new system of payment.
The Head of Service said with the explanation made by the government on the situation on ground and the fact that the workers have started receiving their July salaries, the labour leaders ought to realize that government was ready to live up to her responsibilities.
The JNC chairman said that they will consider their next line of action if, by Friday, government failed to meet their demands.
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