Striking Ogun workers shun govt offer, continue industrial action

The ongoing strike action by Ogun State workers will continued after a meeting between the state’s Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and the leadership of the state’s labour unions ended in a deadlock.

The meeting, which started around 12pm on Wednesday ended late in the evening, with the labour resolving to continue the strike.

The labour had on Monday declared the striken. The Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Council, as well as the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees declared an indefinite strike to press home their demands.

The strike, which commenced on Tuesday, paralysed all the state establishments as workers insisted on the payment of their entitlements, including gratuities, pensions, contributory pensions, and other allowances.

The governor had on Tuesday announced that a closed-door meeting with the labour unions in a view to resolving the crisis would be held.

However, on Wednesday evening, the workers rejected the offer presented to them by the government.

A statement by Ogun Labour Media, titled ‘final updates,’ said the strike would continue.

The statement reads, “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s been a very long day full of struggle and upheavals, the organised labour went into a meeting with the state government who brought out their offers to the workers.

“When eventually our leaders came out, they decided to address us at NLC Secretariat, Leme, Abeokuta. The eventually addressed the comrades present with the mind that a workers’ congress will be called.

“The entire comrades present unanimously rejected the offer from the government hence the strike is continuous and the meeting deadlocked.”