NLC strike: Rivers declares no work-no-pay rule

NLC strike: Rivers declares no work-no-pay rule

Wednesday, May 18, 2016 9:53 pm


Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Despite the substantial non-compliance to the nationwide strike by Rivers state workers , government has declared a no-work-no pay rule for state Civil Servants.

The declaration was obviously meant to dissuade those contemplating to join the strike to stay out of it.

The Head of Service,HOS, in Rivers State,Rufus Godwin, handed down the threat today after he ordered  open  the gate of the Secretariat which was locked by Mrs Beatrice Ituboh faction of the NLC.

The Head of Service warned that the State government had no labour issue with workers in the state to warrant any labour dispute to warrant any strike in the state.

“If the federal government that has issues with labour can declare no-work-no-pay policy for federal workers,we will enforce that same rule here.

Civil Servants in the state are providing their Biometrics to authenticate the real workers on its payroll.

Rufus Godwin assured workers that the Secretariat will always be thrown open for state workers to do their legitimate duties without interference,assuring that state government has provided adequate security for them do their work unhindered.

The HOS warned that any worker who  violates the order and abstains from work does so at his own risk.

Also Adah Williams, who is also the leader of another faction of NLC also warned workers not  to join the strike championed by his rival, Beatrice Ituboh.

The strike largely flopped in Port Harcourt today as schools, businesses were in full swing.

However, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa which is largely a Civil Service State, the strike was complied with.

In Bayelsa workers are owed for about four months. Labour Union leaders locked the State Secretariat in Yenagoa in Bayelsa and other  leaders went  round offices in Yenagoa, to ensure compliance.

In Port-Harcourt,  Beatrice Ituboh  spoken on  radio this morning calling  on workers,banks,market women  to stay at home and join in the protests.

When asked if NLC was not acting in disobedience of Court order,Ituboh fired back: “We are not aware of any Court order. We were at a meeting all through yesterday. Besides even if there was a court order,  was there no court order stopping the increase in electricity tariff?  Did they obey?”

On the threat by the federal government to implement no work no policy,Ituboh said:  “The threat is not new to labour movements. The ones we have worked before have they paid?Are workers not owed across the country. After the strike they will pay”, Ituboh boasted.

On his part,the Chairman of Trade Union Congress, Rivers State,Chika Onuegbu, who was National  Secretary of Petroleum And Natural Gas Senior Staff Association Nigeria,PEGASSAN,disagreed with NLC. He said that the affiliate  unions under TUC which include NUPENG,Construction Workers etc understand the dynamics in the oil industry and petroleum business and understands what the government wants to achieve in deregulation of the downstream sector.

Onuegbu  said the union will not join any strike and called on workers to go about their businesses because those calling for the strike failed to profffer better alternative to the deregulation policy and removal of subsidy.

Onuegbu had driven round Port Harcourt to ensure  oil workers were on duty and  most offices, including the banks, were open.


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