The one-week warning strike declared by the national body of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC in states that have not fully complied with the implementation of new minimum wage agreement, kicked off today in Ebonyi State, with most workers staying away from their offices.
AIT crew that monitored the level of compliance at about 9 O’clock this morning at the State Civil Service Complex in Abakaliki saw very few State government workers reporting to duty.
The entrance to the complex had a strike notice pasted there in which the State NLC directed members to comply with the national leadership directive on the one-week industrial action.
Several of the workers approached by AIT for comments declined to speak on camera for fear of victimization.
But the State Chairman of Nigerian Civil Service Union, Chidebere Njoku, says the workers are not satisfied with the new minimum wage payment structure in Ebonyi State.
The State Commissioner for Information, Jude Okpor says government has always prioritized the welfare of workers, noting that financial capacity of states is not the same and Ebonyi State Government is paying the approved minimum wage.
The leadership of the NLC in the state had in a statement on Sunday, given the State Government hard knocks over non-compliance to consequential adjustments in its announcement on the implementation of N75,000 for Grade levels 1 and 2, with N40,000 increment on all other Grade levels in the state.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
