BREAKING: Kwara workers call off strike, return to negotiation table

The Organized labour in Kwara State has called off its three-day ongoing strike with an agreement to return to the negotiation table towards reaching a consensus with government on the disputed new minimum wage.

Speaking with newsmen immediately after their meeting with the Head of Service on Friday, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, Comrade Issa Ore, said they reached the conclusion following pleas from the Governor, HOS and other individuals to return to work while negotiation continues.

Also speaking, Kwara State chairman, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Ezekiel Adegoke, said the industrial action has shown government that the Kwara State workers are very serious with their demands and will not hesitate to down tools again should the government hesitate to respond to their demands.

On his part, the Chairman, Joint Negotiation Committee, JNC, Comrade Salihu Suleiman, said they have the assurance of the state government to see to their demands which has already got to the final stage.

Also reacting, the Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole, commended the union leaders for their understanding and assured them of Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq’s readiness to see to their demands and welfare always. She therefore directed all workers to return to work on Monday, October nineteen, 2020.

Also at the meeting were leaders of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, and National Union of Pensioners, NUP.

Recall that on Monday evening, the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, and principal officers and members of the House met with the striking labour leaders behind closed doors.

According to the speaker’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Sheriff, Mr Danladi-Salihu had appealed to the organized labour to halt the strike action and reiterated the commitment of the 9th Kwara legislature to the implementation of the minimum wage.

“This government has so far been highly sensitive to the plights of the State’s workforce, the prompt payment of full monthly salaries of workers suffice to our respect and concern for the welfare of labour and we shall continue to uphold it,” the statement issued after the meeting read.