The Bayelsa State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the state government to pay the three months’ salary arrears to workers to improve their well-being.
The state Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson, had in January, 2018, explained that the outstanding salary arrears were the balance of half salaries he paid during the recession in 2016.
The NLC Chairman in the state, Mr John Ndiomu, however, told newsmen, yesterday in Yenagoa that workers were still being owed.
Ndiomu said that if these salary arrears were paid, they could go a long way in reducing the plight of workers as well as improving their well-being.
“Yes, we are being owed three months’ salary by the state government; we call their attention to the need to pay the arrears now that we have come out of the recession.
“We agreed that in the last two years, salary have been paid regularly, but the arrears are still our major concern, especially now that the economy is improving.
“There is need for the government to pay the three months’ arrears being owed to workers in the state since 2016,” the union leader said.
On the new minimum wage being considered by the Federal Government, Ndiomu said that the congress supported the move, stressing that “I believe that the negotiations with tripartite committee will yield good fruit.”
“The on-going negotiations for the new minimum wage is on the right track; we urge the Federal Government to hasten action to implement the favourable outcome of the negotiations,” he said.