Unless the government of Cross River state accedes to all the wages-related demands of the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) within the next two days, the union on Sunday said it would embark on indefinite strike from Wednesday.

The NLC chairman in the state, Comrade Ben Ukpepi, who stated this in Calabar, said the organised labour frowned at the inability of the state government to honour various agreements over workers’ welfare.

Recall that the NLC had on June 1, 2020 given the state government a 14-day ultimatum to address all the lingering issues. The ultimatum gathered, was as a result of the reluctance of the government to honour an agreement reached with labour during the negotiation of the minimum wage.

Some of the issues under contention are the immediate reinstatement of workers whose names were wrongly removed from the payroll since September, 2019; implementation of promotions, stoppage of compulsory remittance of check off dues of some workers to the Association of Senior Civil Servants, resolution of the NURTW park control crisis in Calabar municipality and Calabar south.

At an emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held at the weekend at the Labour House, Marian Road, members resolved that everything would be done to ensure commencement of the strike and full participation of all affiliate unions.

The chairman of NLC, Comrade Ukpepi, said the ultimatum would expire Tuesday and that Wednesday, the strike would commence in full force.

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NLC threatens to strike in Cross River over unpaid wages.