Organised Labour in Osun State has thrown its weight behind the seven-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the continued withholding of statutory allocations meant for local government councils, warning of industrial action and mass picketing if the dispute remains unresolved.
The Joint Labour Movements, comprising the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), said the prolonged denial of the councils’ funds had inflicted severe hardship on local government workers and residents, describing the situation as an unacceptable injustice.
The unions, in a joint statement issued in Osogbo on Monday, said the crisis, which reportedly began in February 2025, had undermined workers’ welfare, economic security and other legitimate entitlements.
The statement was jointly signed by the state chairmen of the three labour organisations, Comrades Christopher Arapasopo (NLC), Bimbo Fasaasi (TUC) and Lekan Adediran (JNC).
According to the labour leaders, local government employees should not be made to suffer the consequences of political disagreements, administrative controversies or power struggles among institutions.
They maintained that the continued withholding of the funds had gone beyond an administrative disagreement, insisting that it had become a serious threat to the livelihood and dignity of affected workers.
“We consider the prolonged withholding of these funds since February 2025 a grave injustice against local government workers and a direct assault on their economic security, welfare, dignity and fundamental rights,” the statement read.
While acknowledging the intervention of the Osun State Government in ensuring the payment of workers’ net salaries, the unions argued that such payments could not compensate for the wider financial implications of the disruption.
They explained that the situation had affected allowances, cooperative deductions, gratuities and other legitimate benefits due to local government employees.
Consequently, the three labour movements declared their full support for the seven-day ultimatum issued by the NLC, Osun State Council, to both the Federal Government and the Osun State Government, demanding an immediate resolution of the impasse.
They also endorsed the planned three-day sympathy strike scheduled for November 8 to 11, 2026, as well as the proposed peaceful picketing of United Bank for Africa (UBA) branches across the state beginning November 12, should the authorities fail to meet the demands within the stipulated period.
The unions described the planned industrial actions as legitimate measures to defend workers’ rights and draw attention to the hardship arising from the prolonged funding crisis.
“Organised Labour will not fold its arms while the welfare and survival of its members are subjected to prolonged uncertainty and avoidable hardship,” they declared.
They called on their affiliate unions, workers and other stakeholders to remain united, vigilant and committed to the struggle for the restoration of the affected local government councils’ financial entitlements.
The labour movements further appealed to the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to demonstrate the necessary political will to end the dispute, warning that continued delay would only deepen the hardship being experienced by workers and residents.
Reaffirming their solidarity with affected local government employees, the unions declared that “an injury to one is an injury to all.”
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