Ondo workers suspend planned strike

Ondo State workers have suspended their plan to embark on strike on Wednesday to protest their unpaid salaries and allowances.

The decision came after the representatives of the  state government and the organised labour unions in the state reached an agreement at a meeting held at the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka-Akure, the state capital, on Tuesday.

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At the meeting, which lasted for about two hours,  the government agreed to pay all the outstanding allowances and deductions for March and April within 24 hours, which expires by 11.59pm on Wednesday.

The government also directed the payment of May salary to local government workers and primary school teachers across the state while  other state workers would be paid after the sharing of next federation allocation.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the State Chairman of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Sunday Adeleye, however  threatened that the unions would embark on the strike if government failed to honour the agreements on the agreed time.

The state Head of Service, Mr Toyin Akinkuotu,  who led the government delegation at the meeting, promised that government was committed to workers’ welfare and would fulfill its part of  the agreements.

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The peace meeting was also attended by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Mr Dayo Fadahunsi; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance as well as the chairmen and secretaries of various labour unions in the state.