Federal Capital Territory Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, says it is mobilising to shutdown the territory after President Bola Tinubu concludes his projects’ inauguration on July 3.
The Chairman, Dr Stephen Knabayi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Knabayi explained that the move was to draw the attention of the FCT Administration to address the area council workers’ lingering strike.
NAN reports that primary health care centres were under lock and key, primary school teachers had been at home while the six area councils’ secretariat were abandoned by the workers for months.
The primary school teachers and other area council workers had embarked on a series of strikes over non-payment of minimum wage and 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance.
Other unresolved issues included the non-implementation of 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases, and the N35,000 wage award, among other benefits.
The NLC chair, who described the development as “very unfortunate”, said that the area council chairmen left the union with no option but to shut down the FCT.
He recalled that the union had on June 13, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration to address the demands of the teachers, health workers and other area council workers.
He explained that the ultimatum followed the resolution of the executives of the joint unions of the NUT, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and the National Association of Health Workers Union.
He noted that the ultimatum had expired on June 20 and the NLC was yet to take any action.
Knabayi explained that the union backpedalled to allow President Bola Tinubu to complete the inauguration of projects executed by the FCT Administration, as part of activities to celebrate his second year in office.
“We had to extend the ultimatum because of Tinubu’s movements to inaugurate the FCT executed project.
“Members of the union will take over the streets of Abuja as soon as Tinubu concludes the inaugurations, hopefully on July 3.
“We are waiting for it to end and we will come together to step up our planned action,” he said.
NAN reports that primary health care centres were under lock and key, primary school teachers had been at home while the six area councils’ secretariat were abandoned by the workers for months.
The primary school teachers and other area council workers had embarked on a series of strikes over non-payment of minimum wage and 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance.
Other unresolved issues included the non-implementation of 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases, and the N35,000 wage award, among other benefits.
The NLC chair, who described the development as “very unfortunate”, said that the area council chairmen left the union with no option but to shut down the FCT.
He recalled that the union had on June 13, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration to address the demands of the teachers, health workers and other area council workers.
He explained that the ultimatum followed the resolution of the executives of the joint unions of the NUT, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and the National Association of Health Workers Union.
He noted that the ultimatum had expired on June 20 and the NLC was yet to take any action.
Knabayi explained that the union backpedalled to allow President Bola Tinubu to complete the inauguration of projects executed by the FCT Administration, as part of activities to celebrate his second year in office.
“We had to extend the ultimatum because of Tinubu’s movements to inaugurate the FCT executed project.
“Members of the union will take over the streets of Abuja as soon as Tinubu concludes the inaugurations, hopefully on July 3.
“We are waiting for it to end and we will come together to step up our planned action,” he said.
(Daily Nigerian)
