The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday threatened to paralyse the activities of the Imo State Government if it failed to recall some 3,000 workers sacked within 14 days.
A factional leader of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, who gave the ultimatum in Lagos at a news conference, said the Imo State Government must recall the workers or face the wrath of labour.
Ajaero said the government, instead of finding ways to pay arrears of salaries owed workers, had resorted to sacking some of them.
He said: “The penchant for humiliating Nigerian workers by our leaders is becoming sad. It has taken a turn for the worse with an assumed belief that Nigerian workers can no longer defend themselves. The lives of workers and their families are at stake and if the government ignores us, it is to their peril.”
Ajaero said Governor Rochas Okorocha had earlier denied that the government was planning to sack and 48 hours later, he fired 3,000 workers.
The labour chief said if the government failed to take any decision at the expiration of the ultimatum, labour would ensure that there would be no electricity supply in the state.
He said: “We will ensure that there will be no light, tanker drivers will not supply fuel, while shops and banks will not be opened for business.”
Ajearo said labour waited for various negotiations on the issue before wading in and that they would ensure that sanity was restored in the state.
He said it was wrong for the government to terminate the jobs of workers on air without negotiating with their representatives as required by law.
According to him, his faction does not have to collaborate with any other group to fight the cause of workers even if another NLC group had earlier met with the governor.
Ajaero said it was regrettable that the State Government was among those that benefited from the bailout funds from the Federal Government and yet could not pay workers.
He said it was sad that rather than create more employment, the State Government was increasing the number of people in the unemployment market.
Ajaero warned that if the government failed to recall the workers and continued intimidating them without paying their salary arrears, the congress would shut the state.
The Deputy Factional Leader, Igwe Achese, said it was not right for workers to pay their taxes and also suffer for the negligence of some State Governments.
He said workers gave government the political will to govern well through votes but the leaders had failed to use the votes to develop the nation and improve lives.
Achese advised the Imo State Government to recall the workers to avoid disruption of activities in the state.
