Borno Workers to Begin Indefinite Strike

Maiduguri — CIVIL servants in Borno State as well as those in the 27 local government areas of the state have been mobilised by the state's branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to proceed to an indefinite strike that could cripple government functions in the state.

The NLC circular urging union leaders in the state to mobilise their members across the state to embark on the proposed industrial action came on the day all tertiary institutions in the state officially declared an indefinite strike over the non-payment of basic salary and allowances that dated back to the beginning of the current administration in the state.

According to a circular signed by the state's NLC Secretary, Mai Bukar Galtimari, and issued to all union leaders, the resolution to embark on the total close down of offices came at the end of the SEC meeting of NLC Borno State council on 24 June.

It reads: "you are requested to inform and mobilise members from your union to the proposed industrial action on 8 July 2010. This became necessary as a result of the inability of the government to meet up with the labour demands in the state."

Vanguard gathered that the Borno State government had reached some agreement with labour unions in 2008 to offset some backlogs of unpaid wages as well as the establishment of structures that will guarantee the welfare of the Borno workers.