BY PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI-Ebonyi State Government and organised labour in the state are yet to reach a compromise on how and when to implement the new minimum wage for workers as labour on September 7 declared an indefinite strike.

Labour accused the state government of restructuring the National Minimum wage implementation table contrary to what the Federal Government had prescribed for workers in the country.

Government, on its part, blamed labour for breaching

agreement reached between both parties and also for inciting workers to embark on an indefinite strike.

With accusation and counter accusation emanating from both sides, the state government, September 9, said, “The organised labour reneged from the aforesaid agreement by not suspending the strike action. It should be noted that under the Labour Law no government can continue to dialogue or negotiate in the face of industrial action, more so as Government has accepted to pay the minimum wage in accordance with the law.”

“That whereas the Government presented a Minimum Wage table which is in line with the National Minimum Wage Act and pleaded for its implementation while a Joint Committee of government and labour proceed to obtain data on the performance of comparative states on the

implementation of the new Minimum Wage, Labour agreed to suspend the strike action on Thursday 8th September 2011 to continue discussion of the issue.

“Consequently, Government directs all workers of Ebonyi state to return to work unfailingly on Monday, 12th September, 2011.