Anambra workers Wednesday refused to match during the May Day celebration in the State on Wednesday.
The celebration took place at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square Awka.
The workers said the absence of the Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, was the reason for their action.
They even booed the Governor’s deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who represented him for, according to them, being afraid of addressing the long list as presented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), describing him as ‘not worker’ friendly
The workers who initially refused to file out for the usual match past, which has become synonymous with the rally, said Soludo’s absence was deliberate.
They repeatedly shouted “no” to appeal for the match-past, insisting that morale was low.
Recall that last year’s rally did not witness any matches, with the workers citing hot weather as a reason.
Some of the workers who spoke to journalists described the absence of the Governor as a slap on the workers.
One of them, who spoke in confidence, said, “The Governor deliberately dodged the rally because of the long list of the workers’ demands. Sending his Deputy doesn’t make any sense as he will definitely not address our demands.”
Another worker, a woman, said, “Workers Day is too important a day for any responsible government to ignore. What else could have kept the governor from honouring his workers?”
Though the march-past eventually held, those who filed out to participate in the exercise reportedly did so to fulfill all righteousness.
The Deputy Governor, who later addressed the protesting workers after several efforts to calm their nerves, assured the workers that their grievances would soon be addressed.
Describing the Soludo-led administration as people-oriented, Ibezim assured the workers of better days ahead.
“Governor Soludo, as a worker-friendly Governor, is aware of your plight. You will definitely hear from him soon,” he said.
Earlier, workers in the State called on Governor Soludo to suspend the deduction of the contributory pension from their salaries to ensure industrial harmony in the State.
Presenting their long demands contained in a joint address by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, through NLC chairman Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, workers expressed worry over what they called the improper introduction and implementation of the contributory pension scheme.
He said: “From the beginning of the scheme, monies deducted were rarely remitted to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFA). Before the present administration came on board, the State was deducting only the workers’ part of the contribution, even without remitting the same to the various PFA, and refused to pay the government part.
“The organised labour is dissatisfied with the continued deduction even after the reoccurring May Day prayers by organised labour requesting for the suspension of the scheme.
“We call on the Governor, who we believe is not only worker-friendly but hates injustice with passion, as a matter of urgency, to suspend the deduction of the contributory pension from the workers’ salary so as to ensure industrial harmony in the State.”
After appreciating the Governor over the N12,000 wage award for them and pensioners for four months, the workers called for the re-introduction of the removed wage award.
“We are also grateful for the absorption of National Light staff into various Ministries and parastatals. We cannot thank you enough, even for resolving the problems of Anambra Water Corporation and ANSEPA, which lasted for over 17 years.”
