Imo Workers Begin Five-Day Warning Strike

Civil servants in Imo
State havecommenced a five-day warning strike to press for the payment of their outstanding salaries by the state government.
The Chairman of the Unified Labour Front in the state, Mr Austin Chilakpo, told newsmen in Owerri that the strike was a result of the four months’ salary arrears owed the workers.
He said that if the government did not comply by paying the salary arrears at the end of the warning strike, the unions would announce an indefinite workers’ strike.
The decision to go on the strike emanated from the joint meeting of all the labour unions in the state on July 24.
The union leader alleged that the government had no reason not to pay the workers, claiming that it is only an irresponsible government that will refuse to pay workers’ salary.
“It is unfortunate that workers will continue to work and will not be paid for their labour.
“We have applied all local remedies for the government to see reasons with us but all to no avail, so we have decided to go on a warning strike to drive our point home,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Rochas Okorocha had earlier scheduled a meeting with the labour unions for Wednesday.
He pleaded with the unions to shun the strike and wait for the outcome of the meeting.
The ministries  parastatal and agencies were shut down by the strike.