Ekiti State local government workers began an indefinite strike yesterday to protest unpaid salary arrears, poor welfare and recruitment of fresh workers by Governor Ayo Fayose.
Acting under the aegis of the state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Workers (NULGE), the workers expressed sadness that the Fayose administration failed to address their problems, which led to an earlier strike.
The union warned that it would not hesitate to deal with any member who disobeys the directive.
The state government recently recruited 2,000 new workers, which NULGE opposed.
The union said the fresh recruitment would create more problems for workers, who are owed arrears of salaries.
The council workers had gone on strike on August 23 but suspended the action after three days following a meeting with Fayose, who promised to address their grievances.
They accused the government of failing to honour an agreement it signed recently at the Joint Account Allocation Committee on September 4.
A communiqué signed by state NULGE President, Bunmi Ajimoko, and Secretary, Suleiman Alero, reads: “Against the background of this government neglecting our earlier advice on the timeliness of fresh recruitment into the services of the local government and the teaching sector, we again wish to stress that additional burden should not be put on the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) until our various arrears are cleared. The case of those termed ‘hurriedly employed’ in 2003 should serve as a lesson to all who remember history.
“In view of the insensitivity of this present administration, even at the point of winding up, when we feel that corrections of past errors should be made, it has become painfully obvious that no concrete agreement can be respected by this administration.
“The union is, therefore, calling all its members in the 16 local government areas, the related commission, boards and departments to proceed on an indefinite strike from Friday (today)…”