…Gov Ayade not ready to pay gratuity, implement promotion …Labour
…We cannot suspend strike without an MoU… TUC Chair
Negotiations between Organised Labour and Cross River state government ended in deadlock as no reasonable agreement was reached in the meeting held today at the Conference room of the Head of Service NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered.
They also disclosed that, the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, was not ready to pay retirees their gratuity neither was he willing to implement workers promotion.
It was learnt that the government was insisting that Labour should suspend the strike for one week so as to give leverage for them to meet thier demands.
Labour has however maintained that it would not fall for such gimmick stressing that it cannot suspend the industrial action unless an MoU was signed and sealed by all parties involved.
In a memo released on Thursday and obtained by journalist Labour disclosed that the current administration was not interested in the welfare of workers as well as retirees in the state instead their interest was vested in bogus projects.
In the memo signed by Organized Labour comprising, TUC, NLC, JNC tilted “Dear Comrades, Deadlocked”, Labour disclosed that their meeting today (Wednesday) ended in a deadlock.
“We wish to inform you, and CrossRiverians at large that today’s meeting with the Head of Service and others from government side ended in a deadlock.
“The government side appears not to be serious about the welfare of workers and retirees in the state ,we cannot have CrossRiverians dying while our governor spends our commonwealth on bogus projects.
“Only the living can benefit from investment for the future ,the governor is not ready to pay our retirees thier gratuity neither isis he ready to implement workers promotion, Comrades continue to stay at home until you hear from us,” they stated.
When contacted, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress TUC, in the state, Comr. Monday Ogbodum confirmed to Vanguard exclusively that the meeting which lasted about 5 hours ended in deadlock.
Ogbodum said: “The meeting with had today with HoS and other person from government ended in deadlock as nothing concrete was agreed upon.
“The meeting was not even “properly” adjourned ,so we don’t even know when we would be meeting again ,but the truth is that they want Organised Labour to suspend the strike and in one week they would meet our demands.
“But we are not going to accept such gimmicks, it is not in favour of Labour at all ,we must sign and seal an MoU before suspending the strike, so as we speak there is no head way yet, no truce or agreement has been reached, and we advise workers to stay at home till they here from us, the strike continues,” he said.
