THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has directed private workers in Plateau state to join the public sector workers in the ongoing strike to force the state government to implement the N18.000 minimum wage.

At a meeting of its Central Working Committee, CWC, Abuja, leaders of NLC vowed to cripple social and economic activities in the state until government implemented the new wage.

Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar and Comrade Chris Uyot, President and Acting General Secretary of NLC, in a statement, said the industrial action by workers in Plateau State was because of non-implementation of the minimum wage to Local Government workers and non-payment of arrears of six months' salary to the workers.

They said: "The CWC observed that workers in the Local Government had temporary agreed to accept a 55 percent minimum wage with an understanding that the new wage will be implemented in full when finances of the state improve. The CWC noted that despite this patriotic gesture of workers, the state government has refused to pay them outstanding salary arrears of six months, which had led to a declaration of strike. The CWC further observed that government has deployed armed security men and thugs to unleash unprecedented harassment and violence on the striking workers."

"After deliberation on the six-month long industrial crisis in Plateau State and the efforts of Congress to settle the issue through dialogue to no avail, the CWC, resolved that Congress shall be compelled to call Nigerian workers to a three-day solidarity strike should the Plateau State government refuse to dialogue with the workers with a view to paying all outstanding salaries and wages to workers and implement minimum wage on or before Wednesday December 20, 2012.

The CWC directed that all state councils across the country should organize prayer sessions against the dictatorship of the Governor of Plateau State and all those standing against the implementation of the new minimum wage to Local Government workers in Plateau State."

All members of the Central Working Committee, that is, Presidents and General Secretaries of all the affiliate unions shall be in Jos, Plateau State to express their solidarity with the striking workers when the strike commences.Meanwhile, all affiliate unions and state councils are directed to commence mobilization of workers for the strike from 20th December, 2012 and to await further directives."

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