Workers in the Oyo State Public Service on Wednesday in Ibadan held a rally to protest their unpaid six months salaries and government’s controversial proposal to offer the management of some schools to private bodies.
The rally, which was coordinated by the national body of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took off from the Oyo State Secretariat of the NLC at Agodi-Gate at about 10.30 am.
The workers marched through Oje, Beere, Mapo and Oja’Oba carrying placards with various inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs.
Addressing the gathering, the Oyo State NLC Chairman, Mr Waheed Olojede, said the rally was to further protest against what he called the anti-workers policy of the state government.
Olojede said that there was a contract of service delivery and payment of salary between the workers in the state and government.
He said that workers in the state had fulfilled their contract of service delivery in the last six months.
“The Oyo State government has refused to fulfil its contract on the payment of salaries by owing the workers six months arrears of salaries.
“We are on the streets to tell the Oyo State Government that it should as a matter of urgency pay the six months’ arrears of salaries, backlog of pension arrears and gratuity of pensioners.
“The workers are also saying no to privatisation and sale of public secondary schools in the state.
“We are not going to call off the strike until the state government pays the six months salary arrears and changes its decision on the sale of public secondary school,’’ he said.
The labour leader said that the constitution of Nigeria allows peaceful procession and the union would not in any way engage in acts of violence.
Similarly, the National Deputy President of NLC, Mr Peter Adeyemi, said the six months salaries owed workers should be paid with interest since the government failed to pay at the right time.
Mr Akin James, the Oyo State Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), on his part, dispelled the rumour that the union was not in support of the NLC in the state.
James said that NURTW was in agreement with the NLC in the state and would not go contrary to its directive.
The Joint Action Front, Academic Staff Union of University and other civil rights organisations also took part in the protest.
The governor had told newsmen after featuring on a live programme, “Eyi Ara, ’’ on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State that the industrial action was ill-advised.
He maintained that labour had no dispute with the government prior to the strike nor did it give any ultimatum in compliance with labour laws.
The state government had also consistently maintained that it was not selling public schools, adding that it was only inviting private sector participation in the running of schools to boost the education sector.
NAN
