Kano workers issue 2 weeks ultimatum to Govt over slashing of salaries

TRACKING___Mr Kabiru Ado, the state’s Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), stated this at a joint news conference, on Wednesday in Kano.

Ado said that the organised labour had deliberated over recent slashing of worker’s salaries and other topical issues affecting their welfare in the state amid COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the unions decided to reject the slashing of workers’ salaries and called on the government to stop the action or face industrial action.

The chairman said that the government had slashed May workers’ salaries, without due consultations with the labour unions, in violation of labour laws and constitutional provisions.

Ado explained that convention 95 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) stipulated that deduction from wages should be permitted only under conditions prescribed by law under collective agreement.

He noted that the slashing of the workers’ salaries by the government also contravened provisions of Nigeria Labour Act 1974 and National Minimum Wage law.

“The deduction of workers’ salaries for the month of May 2020, by the state government without the consent of the labour is illegal.

“Kano state government violated the existing minimum wage law 2019, which is a product of the tripartite committee entered agreement sent to the legislature and signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The state government renege its promise for the payment of April – November, 2019; arrears to workers sequel to the implementation of the consequential arrangement arising from the N30, 000 minimum wage,” he said.

Ado added that the unions, therefore, rejected the slashing of worker’s salaries and called on the state government to stop further deductions.

He also called on the government to ensure payment of outstanding salary arrears, full implementation of the National Minimum wage and refund of incentives to health workers as well as provision of incentive and insurance cover to journalists and other category of front line workers in the campaign against COVID-19.

He warned that failure to meet the demands of the organised labour within 14-days effective from May 27 to June 15, 2020, will lead to a strike by workers.

“The labour, its affiliates and stakeholders will have no other option than to embark on a seven day warning strike from 12:00 a.m. June 15,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the unions included NLC; Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria.