LAGOS – Workers of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Lagos, on Thursday embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of 18 months arrears of promotion.

LAGOS – Workers of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Lagos, on Thursday embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of 18 months arrears of promotion.
The Union’s Chairperson, Mrs Toyin Shokunbi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the strike, which commenced on May 30, was nationwide.
The workers’ strike was carried out under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE),
Shokunbi said that the strike was as a result of the non-payment of the 2013 promotion arrears; non-payment of the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS); and victimisation of union leaders.
She said that the decision to go on strike was taken at the national level, adding that the management of NCMM had not responded to their demands.
“The management has not shown enough commitment toward the realisation of CONRAISS in spite of the fact that the Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies have been enjoying it for over two years.
“We condemn in totality the continued victimisation of the union leaders and the incessant threat to their lives, all in an attempt to weaken AUPCTRE as a union in NCMM,“ Shokunbi said.
The chairperson said the national coordinating committee held a meeting and resolved that the industrial action was inevitable.
“The meeting resolved that the suspended union leaders or those transferred should be recalled back and their entitlements paid.
“The 2013 promotion arrears should be paid on or before July 31.
“The strike continues indefinitely and will only be suspended if our welfare is addressed,’’ she told NAN.
Shokunbi advised the government to reintroduce the policy of direct labour in order to engage all employees and unions for the economy to grow.
The union members held placards with the inscriptions: “give us our rights’; “pay us our entitlements’’; and “pay us our 18 months arrears’’.
The gates of the museum were under lock as staff and visitors were denied entrance. (NAN)