Bauchi — Bauchi State government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Joint Negotiations Council have started talking over government's plan to sack 50 percent of its workers due to lack of funds.

State NLC Chairman of the NLC Comrade Hashimu Gital confirmed the development in a telephone interview with Sunday Trust correspondent.

He said, "That's what they were saying. But we will not support or allow the state government to sack any worker. We are still talking with government over the development but I don't want to pre-empt our meeting. When we concluded our talks, you will know everything. We will not allow government to sack a single worker."

The state secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Sulisma Lemuel said the union is in meeting with government.

A senior labour official told our correspondent that labour has two options, one to conceded some percentage of workers salary between five and 10 percent or yield to rightsizing. The Special Adviser to Governor Isa Yuguda on Labour Matters, Comrade Abdullahi Shehu said, "I'm not competent to speak on the matter."

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ishola Michael Adeyemi said, "I'm not aware. You can contact the state Head of Service." Efforts to get the Head of Service, Mr Abdon Dala Gin failed because he did not pick repeated calls to his line and did not reply the text message sent to him as at the time of filing this story.