Labour asks Kano govt to halt cut in workers’ salaries or face industrial action

The Kano State Joint Action Committee of the organised labour on Wednesday issued a two-week ultimatum to the state government to stop deduction on workers’ salaries or face industrial action.

The state’s Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kabiru Ado, who gave the directive at a joint news conference in Kano, said the organised labour had deliberated on the slash of workers’ salaries and other topical issues affecting their welfare.

According to him, the unions rejected the cut in workers’ salaries and asked the government to stop the action or face industrial action.

He said the government had slashed workers’ salaries in May without due consultations with the labour unions in violation of labour laws and constitutional provisions.

He said: “The convention 95 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) stipulated that deduction from wages should be permitted only under conditions prescribed by the law under the collective agreement.

“The slashing of the workers’ salaries by the government also contravened provisions of Nigeria Labour Act 1974 and the National Minimum Wage law.

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“The deduction of workers’ salaries for the month of May 2020, by the state government without the consent of the labour is illegal.

“Kano State government violated the existing minimum wage law 2019, which is a product of the tripartite committee entered agreement sent to the legislature and signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The state government reneged on its promise for the payment of April – November 2019; arrears to workers sequel to the implementation of the consequential arrangement arising from the N30, 000 minimum wage.”

Ado added that the unions had rejected the cut in worker’s salaries and asked the state government to stop further deductions.

He also urged the government to ensure payment of outstanding salary arrears, full implementation of the National Minimum wage and refund of incentives to health workers as well as the provision of incentive and insurance cover to journalists and other categories of frontline workers in the campaign against COVID-19.

He warned that failure to meet the demands of the organised labour within 14 days effective from May 27 to June 15 will lead to industrial action.

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