In Bayelsa: Workers suspend strike

The workers decided to sheath their swords when the government offered to pay 50% of their salaries starting from February 2016.

The Bayelsa state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has called off its strike action.

This is following an extensive negotiation meeting involving the state government, NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which was held on Monday, May 23, 2016.

The workers, who were protesting the non-payment of their salaries since January 2016, vowed not to end the strike until the government paid them.

The workers decided to sheath their swords when the government offered to pay 50% of their salaries starting from February 2016.

Punch reports that the workers and the government reached the following resolutions:  “Labour has accepted the position of the state government to pay 50 per cent of monthly salaries to workers effective from February 2016 and expects the government to effect full payment of workers’ salaries as soon as the allocation from the federal account accruing to the state improves.

“Labour equally states clearly that the 50 per cent of salaries payable to workers is not a downward review of workers’ salaries. That is to say, that the outstanding 50 per cent shall be paid as soon as the federal allocation to the state improves to complete the monthly salaries of workers.

“That in line with the ongoing payment of January 2016 salaries to workers, the government should facilitate the process of payment of salaries to the outstanding MDAs and parastatals, including pensioners without further delays.

“That a monthly meeting should be scheduled between labour and government in order to have a joint review of the economic recovery of the state.”

The state Governor, Seriake Dickson, had earlier threatened to sack the striking workers.

See Pulse Photo-News gallery below.