Organised Labour suspends strike in C/River

Organised Labour in Cross River has suspended its industrial action, according to the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Mr Ben Ukpepi.

Ukpepi announced the suspension of the strike on Thursday in Calabar, indicating that the action was called off following the intervention of the Traditional Rulers’ Council.

Ukpepi said that some demands of the organised labour have been adopted and the state government is now committed towards actualising more.

According to him, the strike lasted for almost a month due to alleged negligence by the state government on the plight of civil servants in Cross River.

He maintained that the strike was suspended with a view to giving the state government a period of five months to attend to all their demands.

Labour is demanding the implementation of salary arrears, payment of gratuities, and the implementation of the new minimum wage, among others.

“It would be recalled that on Oct. 11 2021, we embarked on an industrial action to press home our demands.

“We did that because we wanted better living conditions and adequate welfare packages for civil servants in the state.

“I want to announce to civil servants in the state that we have suspended the strike action after having discussions with the state Traditional Rulers’ Council.

“I want to thank all those who stood with us during the period of this action,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the state Joint Service Negotiating Council, Mr Godwin Otei, alleged that the state government had not been fair in addressing the demands of civil servants in the state.

“The present administration in Cross River has depreciated the status of civil servants, as the payment of gratuities to retirees is now an illusion,” he said.