Oyo workers divided over wage strike

The strike that was called by some Oyo State workers on Monday suffered a setback as civil servants resumed for work at the government secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, disregarding the directive.

The state government therefore commended the workers for ignoring the call for a strike.

The caretaker committee that took over the management of the worker’s affairs following the purported sacking of the labour leaders in the state on Friday announced the commencement of strike from Monday.

But some workers, mostly teachers and local government officials converged on the state secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress where they sang and critised Governor Abiola Ajimobi for failing to approve the N18,000 minimum wage.

The NLC on Monday went round some schools to force teachers out and send the students home. The local government workers and staff of the State Universal Basic Education Board were also forced to leave the secretariats.

At Ikolaba Grammar School, the  Principal (identity withheld) was allegedly beaten up by the labour leaders to enforce compliance.

The Chairman, Caretaker Committee, NLC, Mr. Bayo Akande, blamed the polarity within the workforce on the state government. However, he maintained that there was no going back on the strike.

Akande said the government should be concerned about the welfare of workers.

He said, “The government should allow the workers to sort out their leadership crisis. It is the congress of workers that sacked its leaders and that is the only body that can say otherwise.

“We are not going back on the strike. The state government should be alive to its responsibility by ensuring workers’ welfare.”

However, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Oyo State, Bosun Oladele, said the government’s delegation was already in a meeting with the leadership of the workers in the state to resolve the issue.

Source