By Funmi Komolafe

ABUJA—The Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity has expressed concern over threat by federal employees to embark on an industrial action  from April 8, if there was no official pronouncement on increase in their salaries.

They also want the  authorities to wipe out the disparity in the pay of the different cadres in the Federal Civil Service, especially permanent secretaries and directors.

The Public Sector Joint Negotiating Committee, PSJNC, of the unions in the public sector reportedly issued the strike threat.

The ministry reminded the aggrieved employees that there are “presently three presidential committees made up  of  representatives  of government and organised labour working on issues of wage review and workers’ general welfare.

The Ministry’s Permanent Sectretary, Ambassador Chike  Alex Anigbo listed the committees as  the committee on national minimum wage, national committee of experts on parameters for wage fixing in the federal public service and the committee on the demand for relativity and pay structure in the civil service.

He said since the government was already in a dialogue with the PSJNC, an industrial action would not be in the interest of both parties.