Labour In Rivers Set For May Day

The organised labour in
Rivers State has commenced preparation for the May Day Celebration on Sunday despite the leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other affiliate unions.
Speaking to The Tide  in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the State  Chairman, Joint  Public  Service  Negotiating  Council (J PSNC), Comrade Chukwwu Emecheta, said efforts are being  made to reconcile  the warring  factions and ensure  smooth  workers’ day celebration in the state.
Emecheta said that necessary arrangements have been put in place for a successful workers  celebration of the May Day in remembrance of the Labour Martyrs  who sacrificed their lives for the working class.
He said that the state Governor, His Excellency Chief  Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike will officially take the salute at the occasion being a workers’ friendly governor and also his first  inter-face with the entire public and private sector workers in the state after  assumption  of office last year assumption.
The JPSNC chairman  said that the state government has shown  capacity to carry workers along  in the scheme  of things  especially  prompt payment  of salary without delay as was previously witnessed with back log of pensioners  arrears  and salaries during the last administration in the state.
He disclosed that Elders of organised labour  have called the two  factions of the NLC to order  and asked them to sheath  their swords in the  interest of unity, peace and progress of Labour in the state.
He said that it is not in the best interest of Labour in the  state to have parallel  May Day Celebrations at different venues as such creating  room for  divisive tendencies within the  labour movement.
He also appealed to the state government  to ensure that teacher’s  salary and welfare  are given priority attention in view of the recent  Bank Verification  Number (BVN) submission that had delayed some teachers salary payment for two months.

Philip Okparaji