Anti-workers’ policies: Civil servants pass no confidence vote on Rochas

The Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) has passed a vote of no confidence on Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state over what it described as his administration’s anti-labour policies in the state.
The union also directed workers to issue red card to the governor and his stooges in the state, as well as other governors who are not worker-friendly.
Arising from their 70th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting recently, the union also lamented the spate of killings in the country, and urged federal government to urgently address the security challenges.
“The 70th NEC condemns without reservations the anti-workers policies of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, and further urged him to pay the salaries and pensions of workers and retirees in the state.
“The meeting further passed a vote of no confidence on the Imo state Governor and urged workers to, issue “Red Card” to the Governor and all his stooges, including every other state governors lacking in conscience and who believe that workers in their states must be poor and worthless.” On the new minimum wage, the workers expressed worry over the nonchalant attitude to timely conclusion of negotiations on the New Minimum Wage in Nigeria.
In a communiqué jointly signed by the NCSU President, Comrade Lawrence Amaechi and acting General Secretary, Yahaya Ndako, said the union considered the inconsistencies in the utterances and body language of the federal government in actualising the September 2018 deadline, as a step to delay the process.
The communiqué read in parts: “NECin-Session resolves that the Union will oppose vehemently any action aimed at delaying this process.
” To this end, therefore the NEC urges the federal government to match its words with actions so that the high expectations of workers on the implementation of the new minimum wage would be realised on or before September, 2018.
Failure, the entire members of the union will not take it with levity.
“The NEC-in-session condemns in strongest terms the spate of consistent and unwarranted killings and bloodsheds in Nigeria.
The Union observe with pains and regrets that the killings are synonymous with ethnic and religious cleansing.
The NEC-in-session describes the killings and kidnappings as major threats to our National Unity, masking other issues that should get National attention.
“Hence, it urges the Federal Government of Nigeria to as a matter of urgency, overhaul its security architecture and apparatus so as to enable the security operatives arrest the collapse in the security sector headlong.
NCSU will continue to raise her voice vehemently against actions that pose a threat to peaceful coexistence and survival of Nigeria project.
“The 70th NEC applauds the bold and proactive steps taken by the President of Nigeria Labour Congress to report the Federal Government of Nigeria to ILO, on their obnoxious and draconian Labour bill aimed at distorting our Industrial Relations landscape.
NCSU notes that any attempt to pass a bill that negates or violates ILO Convention 98, would be vehemently resisted by organised Labour.
“The NEC-in-session supports review of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) being championed by the National Joint Public Service Negotiating Council through the setting up of Technical Committee to consider critical upward review of the frightening pay disparity between the salary that exists in the core Civil Service (CONPSS) and other salary structures”.
The union further rejected the high and intimidating rate of unemployment in Nigeria which poses very serious security risk and threat to peace and national unity.
“NEC therefore calls on the federal government to look inwards and divest a policy that will generate massive employment opportunities for ablebodied Nigerian youths.
In this direction, infrastructural and industrial development should be at the front burner of the government so as to nip in the bud, possible revolution that may erupt as a result of massive unemployment in Nigeria today,” the union advised