Information available to 247ureports.com indicate that the State government of Kaduna may be entangled in a knotted tussle with the striking workers/employees of the State owned tertiary institutions over a previously agreed salary scale. The state university workers had gone on a strike May 12, 2012 following the failure of the Kaduna State government to honor a previously agreed salary scale.
The two major institution that announced their strike were Sate College of Education and the State Polytechnic. The strike was said to come days before the start of final exams.
With the announcement of the strike, the Kaduna State government were reported to resume intense meetings with the leaders and representatives of the striking workers. The meeting began at minutes after 1pm and lasted till minutes past 9pm without producing a resolution between the two parties to end the strike. Sources involved in the negotiations tell our correspondent that the negotiations have not gone well between the two parties. The source indicates that the Kaduna State government had given an ultimatum to the striking workers to return to work or face immediate sack similar to the actions of the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola in sacking the 788 striking medical doctors.
To which, the striking workers rebuffed the government’s threat – telling the government that they were willing to face the threat of sack – rather than allow the Kaduna State government renege on agreed salary scale for the workers of state owned tertiary institutions.
Nonetheless, the State government maintains that the state is cash strapped and will not be able to pay the new salary scale demanded by the striking workers. One of the mouth pieces of the Kaduna State government, Reuben Buhari in confirming to 247ureports.com that the negotiations had reached a partial deadlock indicated that the State government remains determined to resolve the issue soon. He admitted to the complexity of the issues involved.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government maybe faced with another labor related tussle in June 2012 – as the labor unions arrive in Kaduna State to protest the non-payment of the N18,000 minimum wage. It is expected that the streets may witness another round of organized protests.
[Stay Tuned for “Why The Kaduna Government Cannot Pay Its Workers“]
