Plateau workers threaten to resume strike - It is not necessary - Govt

From Isaac Shobayo, Jos - 13.03.2008

Civil servants in Plateau State have served the state government a notice of their plan to resume their suspended strike over the 15 per cent salary increase and other labour related matters.

This is even as the state deputy governor, Chief (Mrs.) Pauline Tallen, said the pending strike would be counter-productive and unnecessary.

The civil servants suspended a three-week strike last month following the intervention of the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, and other wekk-meaning citizens of the state.

The strike was suspended on the premise that the state government would open negotiation with the civil servants on the salary increase along with other demands.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the government’s representatives, led by the Head of Service, and the labour had met on three occasions after the suspension of the strike without any headway.

It was gartered that while the government insisted that the ongoing verification of workers be completed before discussion on the 15 per cent salary increase, the labour wanted the two to run at the same time.

A civil servant, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on the condition of anonymity, said after due consultation with the national secretariat of the NLC, the labour in the state had written the Head of Service, notifying him of the plan of the union to resume strike by today.

The deputy governor, Mrs. Tallen, however, said there was no reason to embark on the strike because the government had promised to look into their demands.

Speaking with newsmen, the deputy governor explained that the state was committed to addressing the plight of the workers.