Labour, Government Reach Truce

By Robert Mbeyi

The festering cat and mouse relationship between Imo state government and the organized labour has been partially normalized with the two sides rooting for a peaceful resolution of the remaining areas of conflict.

The Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (Trade Union Side), Comr Coleman Okwara who hinted this in a telephone conversation with Trumpeta explained that the two sides toed the path of compromise to allow peace to reign.

He said that a panel had been set up on the remaining contentious issues and mandated to submit its report to the meeting within one week from 13/2/12. with particular reference to the suspension of the permanent secretary. The suspended officer will be back in his seat after the panel’s submissions have been deliberated upon.

At Wednesday’s meeting at the Government House, labour pressed for the senior officer to be reinstated. It argued that the Secretary to the Imo State Government, SGI has no powers to query a civil servant much less execute suspension order.

According to labour, the correct procedure is to refer the matter to the head of service whose office is statutorily empowered to issue queries and other necessary actions.

On the demotion of the 65 directors, the consensus was to reverse the decision. Comr Okwara noted that after due consideration, labour leaders gave their consent to the 1% and 5% deductions from monthly salaries.