NLC suspends planned strike over salary deduction in Kano
The joint labour unions in Kano state have suspended their planned one -week warning strike to protest the deduction of worker’s salary by the state government.
This was announced in a press statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Kano by the state chapter Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Kabir Minjibir.
The warning strike ultimatum was issued by labour after the state government made deductions from the May salaries of workers in the state due to the COVID-19 meltdown, with the unions claiming they were not consulted before the deductions were made.
Following this, the labour unions served the state government a two-week ultimatum to refund the deductions or the workers would embark on a week warning strike.
The labour unions at the end of the two -week ultimatum gave another one week, which was to commence by 12 am on June 23.
According to the statement, the decision to suspend the planned strike followed series of meetings the unions had with a committee set-up by the state government to resolve the issue and some agreements were reached.
“During our last meeting with the committee headed by the state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, the state government had agreed to refund 50 per cent of what they deducted from workers salary,
“Other agreements we made with the committee was to ensure the payment of workers’ eight months new minimum wage arrears within the next third quarter of the year 2020, if the financial position of the state improves.
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“The organised labour unions have also agreed to sit with the state government to set out modalities of payment based on the agreed percentage to be deducted on the N30, 600 minimum wage for the month of June and July in the first instance.
“And to be subsequently, depended on the monthly amount received by the state from the Federation Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) within the period of COVID-19 pandemic,” Minjibir added.
The unions, while commending the entire workers in Kano for their tireless support, called for sustained support towards ensuring their welfare.
