Leadership of the labour union on Monday stormed the Agodi secretariat, the seat of the Oyo State Government to chase out workers who had earlier defiled directives of the national secretariat of the unions.
Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Kayode Martins, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Bosun Olabiyi monitored as the workers were chased out from their various offices at the State Secretariat.
Recall that workers had initially reported at their offices on Monday with normal activities resuming at various offices.
This non-compliance with the labour directive informed the enforcement later in the day by the labour leaders.
However, Federal Government institutions such as the federal government secretariat and the University College Hospital, and banks across the city were shut as staff remained adamant on their commitment to the strike.
The strike was in response to the directive of the organised labour on the failure of the federal government to implement the minimum wage demand and reversal of the electricity tarrifs hike.
The industrial action saw workers in the state bringing key government offices to a halt and causing major disruptions to official activities in the state.
Addressing workers at the secretariat, the state’s NLC chairman described the federal government’s attitude as callous and apathetic, saying government was devoting its focus on irrelevant issues like reverting to the old national anthem while neglecting pressing economic issues that directly impact workers.
Martins lamented that the government was clearly out of touch with the needs of its people, and unwilling to listen to their concerns which informed driving the workers to take drastic action to make their voices heard.
He said, “The government’s attitude towards our plight is insensitive and uncaring. All they care about is reverting to the old national anthem when more important issues affecting the lives of Nigerians, especially workers, are begging for their attention. They are insensitive to the plight of workers.”
Matins lamented the worsening economic conditions faced by the masses, saying, “The cost of living is unbearable. Prices of goods and services keep rising every day with no end in sight, while the government turns a blind eye. The people are suffering, and we can no longer sit idly by while they ignore our plight.”
He added that the labour force would not back down in its struggle for justice, adding that the needs and interests of the Nigerian people must be given the attention they deserve.
“We are prepared to stay the course, no matter how long it takes, to ensure that our voices are heard and concerns addressed. The government must realise that they cannot ignore the plight of the masses forever. The time for change is now, and we will not rest until that change is achieved,” Martins said.
Similarly, state TUC chairman, Comrade Olabiyi, said the union was committed to standing their ground in the face of adversity
“It is clear that the negotiations for a minimum wage increase have broken down,” he declared, “and organised labour unions have embarked on a nationwide strike as a result. The federal government must reconsider their position and give in to our demands.
“We, the workers, deserve to live in the same reality as the politicians who make decisions that affect our lives. Our wages must reflect the current economic climate, not a distant past that no longer exists. The time for action is now, and we will not back down until our voices are heard and our demands met,” Olabiyi said.
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