Workers in Rivers State on Tuesday stayed away from work , following the expiration of an ultimatum that they issued to the Rivers State Government.
The order to withdraw their services and shutdown the system is coming in the wake of an earlier directive issued by the Joint Action Committee of the NLC and TUC. That directive which was part of the ultimatum issued said Rivers workers would embark on strike if government does not respond to their request by midnight on Monday.
Workers and the State Government have been at loggerheads over differences arising from the payment of the new minimum wage, especially the non payment of arrears.
The State Headquarters of the NLC has been under lock and key after Government ostensibly took over possession of the property.
In doing so, the Government insisted that the action was taken to verify the integrity of the structure which it built and handed over to organized labour.
Monday, the Port Harcourt Telegraph monitored developments around the Secretariat Complex. The phones of most labour leaders were switched off while there whereabouts were unknown.
Insiders hinted that labour leaders had gone underground to avoid harassment from the government.
So far, there has been no counter order emanating from labour.
This means that there was no last moment breakthrough through negotiations.
Similarly, as at the time of going to press, Government had issued no statement, a situation which may likely suggest it has run out of options on how to deal with the planned workers’ strike in the State.
At the Secretariat complex yesterday, workers were seen discussing the impending strike in small groups.
Most workers are angry with the Rivers State Government, accusing its leadership of showing no interest in their welfare.
They allege promotions have been stalled since the arrival of the Wike administration.
This would suggest that the State government has no interest in motivating its workforce, an angry worker told the Telegraph.
Others who spoke this publication claimed that annual incremental allowances have been denied while their workplace have become dilapidated.
“This is why we have decided to down tools”, an aggrieved civil servant remarked, “Wike has punished us so much”
The Telegraph has learnt that workers were planning to deal with their leaders. Their decision to pull off the strike at the last moment may have changed all that.
Said a worker, “We had plans of our own to teach our leaders a lesson. Now, they have earned our respect.”
“I thank God they got the message that we could no longer tolerate no as an answer”, another worker who was part of the chat interjected.
The order to stay at home by the NLC and TUC is coming as some State Governments in Nigeria are encouraging their workers to work from home.
In Lagos State where 22 cases of the coronavirus have been recorded, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of the State said on camera, staff from levels 1-12 would not be required to come to work.
He said his government expected those wishing to do business with his administration to use official digital platforms for such transactions.
In Rivers State, going by the expiration of the deadline given to the government by the unions, a show down is officially imminent.
What will be the fate of workers who heed the call of labour to proceed on the plan to paralyze the civil service remains unclear.
Recall that several weeks ago, the State Governor, Nyesom Wike had dared workers to go on strike.
Now, the strike is obviously at the doorstep of the State Government which for reasons best known to it has refused to entertain the plea of its workers.
What will the government do?
Observers are waiting to see what the reaction of the government will be.
Under the law, labour has the right to embark on strike after following duly recognised processes.
Those processes, from the run of events, appear to have been followed by the labour movement. But on Tuesday, well after the expiration of the deadline issued by workers, the Rivers State Government disclosed that it had secured a court injunction halting the resolve of workers to embark on a crippling strike.