By; Niyi Ogungbola,Abeokuta.
Ogun State Government has invoked the ‘no work no pay’ rule of the Trade Dispute Act in relation to the ongoing industrial action by its workforce.
Consequently, the State Government has directed all workers to be at their duty posts from Monday 14th March, 2016.
New Nigerian recalled that civil servant in the state had embarked on in-definate strike action since Monday 6th March, 2016 demanding for payment of their deductions .
Meanwhile a release signed by the Head of Service, Sola Adeyemi, the application of the ‘no work, no pay’ rule followed the refusal of the striking workers to heed appeals from government and well-meaning indigenes of the State and the refusal of the labour unions to consider all entreaties to end the industrial action so that the State might be in a position to generate resources for the benefit of the workers and generality of the citizens.
Mr Adeyemi quoted Section 43 (1) (a) of the Trade Dispute Act which provides that, “Where any worker takes part in a strike action, he shall not be entitled to any wages or other remuneration for the period of the strike, and any such period shall not count for the purpose of reckoning the period of continuous employment and all rights dependent on continuity of employment shall be prejudicially affected accordingly”.to back government decision.
The statement recalled that despite the fact that the State Government “has been consistent with payment of workers’ salaries as and when due and has paid workers up to February 2016 with a promise to meet other demands once the finances of the State improved, union leaders went ahead to call out workers on a strike on March 7, 2016 and physically prevented majority of the employees who reported for duties from gaining access to their offices”, the statement read.
The release added further that Government would not yield to pressure to downsize or reduce salaries of its workforce as being suggested in some quarters.
This according to the release, accounted for the reason why all employees should be at their duty post, assuring the workers of government’s commitment to their welfare and called for their understanding during the current economic downtown in Nigeria.
