The Leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State has finally suspended its 6-week strike over their eight months unpaid salaries.
Chairman of the Union, Jacob Adekomi, at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Osogbo, the state capital, told newsmen that the Union finally arrived at the suspension decision as workers have confirmed receipt of payment alerts of two months’ salaries.
With the announcement of the bail out fund by the federal government, one month into the strike, the workers became anxious and efforts to end the strike started.
On Monday, the labour leaders began to arrive at the state secretariat but did not sign as they eagerly awaited the payment signal.
Two hours after, the workers began to get the alert and so they moved into the office of the Head of Service to sign the Memorandum of Understanding signalling a suspension of the six weeks strike of the Osun State workers.
After much negotiations by the Labour leaders and government, a truce was also reached and it was announced that the workers would soon be paid the arrears of January and February.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Osun State chapter, told newsmen that the Union agreed to suspend the strike as government has fulfilled its part by paying the two months arrears.
He added that the Union has also asked for a total review of the actual number of Osun workforce and pensioners.
However, lecturers in all the state owned polytechnics and colleges of education insist they are not part of the negotiation and as such the strike continues.
A group representing the Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-Owned Tertiary Institutions (CASUOSTI) said this.
Other workers are expected to resume work on Tuesday but students in the polytechnics and colleges of education have no hope yet.
The affected lecturers and students have expressed hope that the State Government would look into this and bring an end to the crisis.
