Smart Move: Ondo Govt Aborts Planned Workers Strike, Agrees to Settle Outstanding Allowances |The Source

By Ayodele Oni, Akure

The Ondo State Government has made a smart, political move.

It has aborted the planned industrial action by labour unions.

The government has rolled out some palliative measures aimed at addressing their demands.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, despite his tight schedule, since two weeks ago, when preparation for the primary election was at its peak, met with representatives of the industrial unions to address their demands.

This was after the workers gave the state government an ultimatum to meet their demands which include payment of back log of salaries owed by immediate past administration and leave bonuses.

Organised labour Unions and the state government have agreed to  the approval of the immediate payment of five months outstanding deductions from Salaries from February to June, this year.

Also slated for immediate payment was 2018 leave bonus to all workers and settlement of 2019 leave bonus for workers on grade level one to six.

The State Head of Service, Mr Dare Aragbaiye,  as well as the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo, said the government would also settle Special COVID-19 hazard allowance of May,2020 of health workers.

Mr Aragbaiye noted that out of the available resources of government, sixty-eight percent of June salary and pensions would be paid to local government workers.

Also speaking at a labour meeting in Akure, three unions’ leaders, Comrade Oluwaniyi Fabunmi of JNC; Sunday Adeleye-Oluwole of NLC and the vice chairman of TUC, Clement Fatuase, said they agreed to the payment arrangements to save workers who had mortgaged their salaries with cooperatives and loans from untold hardship.

The Commissioner for information, Mr Ojogo in his reaction, pointed out that “in line with the spirit of Mr. Governor who had insisted and still insisting that the welfare of workers will be given premium attention, he has approved the following which has also been accepted by the leadership of the labour unions; that the deductions for the state from February to June 2020 should be paid in full.

“That the 68 percent June salary and pensions of the local government service should also be paid; that the 2018 leave bonus for workers on grade levels 07-17 in all services should also be paid, that the special COVID-19 hazard and risk allowance from May 2020 be paid to medical and health workers without further delay, that the 2019 leave bonus for workers from grade levels 01-06 in all services should also be paid”