The Nigeria Labour Congress Osun State chapter has suspended their seven weeks strike embarked upon over non-payment of salaries and allowances by the state government.

CEOAFRICA gathered that the suspension came after a closed door meeting with the State government representatives led by the state Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye during which the NLC and the State government agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU title “MoU between the State Government of Osun and the Joint Public Service Negotiation Council and Nigeria Labour Congress” was read to the hearing of journalists at the Office of Head of Civil Service by the Labour Chairman in the State of Osun, Mr. Jacob Adekomi.

Part of the MoU reads: “Having considered the financial situation of the State government of Osun arising from the decline of the monthly federal allocation which led to non-payment of six month salaries, non-payment of deduction from salary of September and December 2014, non-payment of balance of 2013 leave bonuses and 2014 leave bonuses.”

The State government and the leadership of various labour unions met and reviewed the situation, both parties therefore agreed to enter into this MoU at the station of bailout expected from the federal government on the issue of settlement of salary arrears and to show the State government commitment to the welfare of its workers having in mind the needs to collect data towards the completion of physical verification exercise of workers and retirees and the entire public service.

In order to find a lasting solution to the problems, both parties agreed to the following terms.

• That January and February 2015 salary be paid as from 13^th July, 2015, also March salary of local government and primary school teachers will be paid on 13^th July, 2015 and as from Thursday, the April salary of local government and primary school teachers will be paid.
• That balance of pension for the state government retirees for the month of November will be paid as from 13^th July, 2015, that outstanding pensions for January 2015 and pension for February 2015 for retired primary school teachers and March 2015 pensions for the retired local government staff will be paid as from 13^th July, 2015.
• That the bailout fund expected from the federal government should be used purposely for payment of salaries as directed by the federal government.
• That all the outstanding deductions and pensions of December 2014 shall be settled as soon as bailouts are received from the federal government.
• That labour unions will suspend the ongoing strike action on the basis of the MoU to allow for all public service personnel staff and audit verification exercises as well as auditing of local government staff, primary school teachers and retirees take place.

Meanwhile, the labour boss made it known that the physical verification of workers in Osun State  is not meant to retrench any workers but to know the actual numbers of workers in Osun  state.

“The purpose of suspending the strike is that we want to do the physical verification of our people that is why two month salaries are agreed on, then after the exercise when the bailout comes, it will be used to pay the remaining months left.” 

Mr. Adekomi however appealed to the government to stick to the terms and conditions.   

He therefore thanked the workers for their perseverance and endurance; he also thanked the state government for their understanding.

“We want to thank all our workers for their perseverance and endurance during this time, as it goes. We also want to thank the government for their understanding, and how far they have gone with us too. I also appeal to workers to double effort to recover the lost grounds. We want to thank the press for their cooperation during this time; we appreciate you for sympathizing with us and base on this, negotiation continue, struggle continues.

“The strike is hereby suspended and workers are hereby call on to resume work tomorrow”. Mr. Adekomi said.

Meanwhile, the Osun State tertiary institutions have threatened not to resume until the state government meet their demands.

While reacting to the issue the state Head of Service Mr. Sunday Owoeye said an official communication had not being made to that effect to his office by the tertiary institution workers.

Also, while reacting to whether the NLC was part of the protest by the civil servants during the strike, one of the Labour leaders said those people engaged in the protest were just doing it to blackmail the NLC in the state, and that they have been negotiating with the state government right from the beginning of the strike.