COVID-19: El-Rufai Must Refund Workers 25% Salary Deduction- NLC Says

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has sent a strong warning to the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai against his purported plans to remove 25% from the salaries of civil servants earning above 67,000.

The union also asked El-Rufai to return the deducted amount to those already affected or face action from the Union.

The Kaduna State Government had earlier announced a deduction of 25 percent from salaries of civil servants receiving above N67,000.

NLC Chairman, Comrade Ayuba Suleiman, said the government should stop the 25% deduction and refund the affected workers.

He said this while addressing newsmen in the state on Wednesday.

Suleiman said: “Sequel to the deductions of 25% on the salary of all civil servants in Kaduna state, effective from April, 2020, labour in Kaduna State unequivocally rejects this deduction. This is because the Union was not consulted on the issue nor consented to the deduction.

“Article 8 of the International Labour Organization Protection of Wages Convention, 1949, (No.95) provides that deduction from wages shall be permitted only under conditions and to the extent prescribed by the National Laws or regulations or fixed by collective agreement or arbitration award.

“Labour in Kaduna State is not against the provision of palliatives to the poor to cushion the COVID19 lockdown from the salaries of civil servants in Kaduna State but wish to state that, it ought to be carried along, and such deductions or contributions should be made voluntary not compulsory.

Naija news also understand that governor Nasir El-rufai has agreed to relax the lockdown order and extension of curfew he gave yesterday after noon