Outstanding leave bonus: Strike looms as Ondo workers give Akeredolu three-day ultimatum

The organized labour in Ondo State has given the state government a three-day ultimatum for all outstanding leave bonus to be paid to workers in the state, or risk an industrial action.

Labour leaders stated that workers in the state’s civil service will down tools if their demand is not met by Friday.

According to the state chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, Comrade Opeyemi Oloniyo, who briefed newsmen after a meeting of the union leaders with the Governor of the state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Tuesday, said that the arrears of the 2017/2018 leave bonus was long overdue, hence the ultimatum.

The labour leader also lamented recent delay in the payment of workers’ salaries by the state government.

“The Organized labour (NLC, TUC & JNC) other relevant leaders met with the state government at the level of Head of Service with SA on Unions Matters in attendance at the HOS office today Tuesday, 9th October, 2018 as regards the State and LG workers’ salary and pensions arrears, outstanding leave allowances, retired workers gratuity and tertiary institutions subventions outstanding as workers were restive on what’s going on regards Paris Club Refund.

“It was therefore resolved that:

Payment of 2017 Leave Allowance to State & Local Government workers should be effected before or by Friday, 12th October, 2018 to all workers that the available fund could accommodate while others should be paid before the month runs out.

“That salary, pensions and tertiary institutions’ subventions should be paid promptly and regularly.

“That committee should be set up to work on modality for the retired workers gratuities payment in first come, first serve order.

“That 20% balance of October 2016 salary, full salary and pensions of November and December 2016 as well as January 2017 should be paid to state workers and pensioners from the Paris Club Refund released to the state.

“That 15% balance of September 2016 salary, full salary and pensions of October, November and December 2016 as well as January 2017 should be paid to Local Government workers, Primary Schools Teachers and pensioners from the Paris Club Refund released to the Local Government,” Oloniyo said.