Ekiti unions demand teachers’ outstanding salaries

From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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Organised labour unions in Ekiti State have urged the state government to immediately commence the payment of the seven months outstanding salaries owed the newly employed secondary school teachers employed in 2018, by the immediate past Governor Ayodele Fayose’s administration.

The workers also urged the state government to pay to its workforce without negotiation or delay the N30,000 minimum wage recently  signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Shola Adigun and his counterpart from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Olatunde Kolapo, gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti in separate addresses delivered during the 2019 May Day celebration in the state.

The union leaders who lauded Governor Kayode Fayemi, for prompt payment of salaries since he assumed office in October last year, however admonished him to continue to pay more attention to the welfare of workers.

According to the TUC Chairman  “Your Excellency, we want you to look into the plight of workers whose salaries had been stopped for some months.

The union leaders said workers at both private and public sectors would soon experience increase in take home, said: “More than 20 states have shown their commitment and their readiness to pay the minimum wage.

They also canvassed increment in the monthly subvention to Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti to enable it meet with “research, teaching and learning,” saying “the university needs to cope with her growth in leaps and bounds.

The Trade Union Congress Chairman in Ekiti State, Sola Adigun, who particularly hailed Fayemi for commitment to welfare of workers, said: “It is gladdening to know that you are one of the very first governors who conceded publicly to the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Earlier in his address, Fayemi, represented by his deputy, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, who congratulated the new leaderships of NLC and TUC in the state, however, told the workers that  his administration would not lag behind in the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.