By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress had said its members will not be boycotting work following the directive of the national leadership of the Union to some select states to do so in view of inconclusive talks on implementation of new minimum wage.
With the resolve, the Oyo state government on Sunday commended the resolve of the state leadership of the labour unions not to embark on strike, assuring that ongoing talks on implementation of the consequential adjustments will be completed in a matter of days.
When contacted, the State Secretary for NLC, Comrade Adebayo Aribatise said the decision to put on hold all forms of strike in the state became imperative since the negotiation committee which comprises bothe the labour leaders and government is already having a robust discussion on a favourable consequential adjustment in accordance with the pronounced N80,000 and acceptable salary table for the entire workforce in the state.
He said rumours making the rounds on the purported plans to embark on strike from Monday December 2, 2024 is false.
Aribatise said the Union arrived at the decision after an enlarged meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) and State Advisory Council (SAC) where the issue of minimum wage implementation was extensively discussed.
He added that the move will also give room for the committee on consequential adjustment to get the table completed with needed endorsement for implementation within the next couple of days.
Comrade Aribatise said, “The attention of the Council had been drawn to a news circulating about Oyo State NLC declaring strike commencing from Monday 2nd December 2024.
“The SEC and SAC of the NLC Oyo State Council met on Thursday 28th November, 2024 and discussed extensively on the New Minimum Wage Implementation in Oyo State and later concluded that all forms of industrial actions be put on hold since the committee set up by the government is already having a robust discussion on a favourable consequential adjustment in accordance with the pronounced N80,000 and acceptable salary table for the entire workforce in the state.
“In view of this, the Oyo State Council of NLC will not be going on strike so as to give room for the committee on consequential adjustment to get the table completed with needed endorsement for implementation within the next couple of days.
“To this end, we wish to call on the entire workers of Oyo State to remain calm while the arrangement for a robust minimum wage table for Oyo State is concluded by the joint committee of the State Government and the Labour movement.”
Reacting when contacted by Corenews, the Special Adviser on Labour Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, Comrade Adebayo Titilola-Sodo said the Oyo State labour leaders have shown commendable understanding by not embarking on strike as directive by the national leadership.
He said, as a member of the negotiation committee deliberating the implementation of the consequential adjustments, both parties (labour and government) have made a lot of progress on the deliberation by presenting different tables which are still undergoing study.
Titilola-Sodo however assures that in a matter of days, the whole matter will be amicably resolved in the interest of both parties.
He thanked members of the NLC leadership, the SEC and SAC, elders and other stakeholders who have played roles to ensure peaceful industrial harmony in the state.
He recalled that Governor Makinde has consistently showed love and commitment to the welfare of workers and people of the state and will also not fail in doing what is in the interest of the workers.
Corenews reports that, Governor Makinde had earlier in November announced N80,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the State.
