TheCable

Construction workers in the country have declared a three-day warning strike from February 5 over their employers’ non-implementation of wage awards.

On October 1, 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved N35,000 as the provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid workers for six months.

The provisional wage was meant to be paid to workers for six months to ameliorate the hardship caused by the petrol subsidy removal.

The wage was put in place to avert a nationwide strike by organised labour last year.

However, the workers under the aegis of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) and the Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA), announced the ultimatum in a joint statement issued on Friday.

The statement was jointly signed by Ibrahim Walama, NUCECFWW general secretary, and Tony Egbule, acting general secretary of CCESSA.

According to the statement, the decision to embark on the strike was reached at the joint national executive council (NEC) meeting of both associations held on January 25.

The associations said their employers had refused to discuss with them the implementation of the wage award agreed between the federal government and organised labour.

“The Joint NEC of both unions has directed all members (NUCECFWW/CCESSA) to proceed on three-day warning strike starting from Monday, February 5, 2024, in the first instance to press home our demand,” the statement reads.

“Consequent upon the above, all members across board are advised to ensure total compliance.”

The associations also urged officials and members of both unions to “constantly check the relevant platforms of NUCECFWW and CCESSA for necessary information and further directives”.

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, minister of state for labour and employment, had reportedly called for a  meeting between the workers and their employers.

But the minister reportedly said the workers did not send representatives to attend the meeting.