Labour threatens strike in Kwara over minimum wage

The Joint Labour Congress in Kwara has threatened to call out workers to embark on industrial action if the state government fails to implement the new minimum wage by December 31.

Following the threat, the Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in a statement has directed immediate constitution of a government panel to meet with the Labour unions in the state to discuss the national minimum wage.

“The Head of Service has been directed to work out the modalities of the workings of the panel,” the statement said.

The Labour Congress gave the threat at a press Conference addressed at the Labour House in Ilorin on Tuesday.

The Labour Congress in a communiqué jointly signed by Comrades Issa Ore, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Kolawole Olumoh, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said that it could no longer guarantee industrial peace in the state should the state government failed to implement the new minimum wage by December 31, 2019.

The Labour Congress in the communiqué read by Muritala Olayinka, Deputy Chairman of NLC said that though some States have concluded negotiation process and had commenced payment, regretted that despite concerted efforts by the state Labour leaders to ensure compliance on the deadline for implantation on the new minimum wage, Kwara was among the States that was yet to start negotiation.

It said, “However, it is sad that Kwara state is among the few states that have refused to do anything till now despite the directive that all negotiation must be concluded on or before 31st December, 2019.

” SEC in session deliberated extensively on the efforts of Labour leaders in the state to ensure that government constitutes a negotiation team for implementation of N30,000 new minimum wages that proved abortive.

“SEC in session therefore resolved that if government failed to implement the new minimum wage on or before 31st December, 2019, Labour leaders would not guarantee industrial harmony in the state.”