Unpaid salaries: Benue, labour at loggerheads

…..as workers begin indefinite strike
Economic and business activities have been grounded in Benue State as the Nigeria Labour Congress( NLC) and the Trade Union Congress(TUC)‎ has commenced an indefinite strike over failure of the state government to pay seven months’ salary arrears for state workers.

Also, the state is owing 11 months’ salary arrears for teachers and local governments’ workers and 13 months’ arrears of pensions and gratuities for state and 14 months for local governments’ workers.

The decision to commence the strike action in the state, according to labour, was resolved after‎ the Joint State Executive Council of the Benue State Chapter of the NLC

and the TUC issued a directive through a communiqué signed by Joint State Executive Council of the state chapters of the NLC and TUC in Makurdi.

The communiqué jointly signed by Godwin Anya, Philip Nongu and Ordue Tanterger, the state chairmen of NLC, JPNC and TUC respectively, partly read, “SEC resolved to embark on total, comprehensive

and indefinite strike with effect from Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017, to press home its demand of seven months’ salary arrears for state workers, March to September, 2017, 11 months’ salary arrears for teachers and local governments’ workers,

November 2016 to September 2017 and 13 months’ arrears of pensions and gratuities for state and 14 months for local governments’ workers.”

The labour leaders in the communiqué, noted that the indefinite strike was necessitated by the inability of the state government to meet their demands after the seven-day warning strike had elapsed.

Meanwhile, the government has pleaded with the organised labour to understand the challenges facing it.