The organised labour in Cross River State has called for the immediate suspension of the ongoing online audit and verification exercise for civil and public servants in the state, citing concerns over the inclusion of the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The unions cited concerns over the inclusion of issues relating to the Contributory Pension Scheme in the ongoing verification exercise, saying the move had raised fears among workers that the process could be used to introduce or enforce changes to their pension arrangements without proper consultation, agreement, or adequate clarification from relevant stakeholders.
The unions, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the State Joint Negotiating Council, expressed their opposition in a letter addressed to the State Head of Service, Orok Bassey.
The letter, issued on Wednesday, was jointly signed by the Chairman of the NLC in the state, Gregory Olayi; the Chairman of the TUC, Ken Bassey; the NLC Secretary, Odong Bassey; the TUC Secretary, Cletus Oke; the Chairman of the State Joint Negotiating Council, Raymond Akam; and its Secretary, Fidelis Uzu.
The labour leaders said workers had raised concerns over the inclusion of the Contributory Pension Scheme as part of the verification exercise, alleging that the matter was never discussed during earlier engagements with the Head of Service and the consultant handling the exercise.
According to them, the development has generated widespread apprehension among workers, who fear that the exercise may be used to compel them into the pension scheme without adequate consultation, sensitisation, or agreement.
The letter read in part, “For the record, after several meetings with the Head of Service, the issue of the Contributory Pension Scheme, a component of the verification exercise, was never contemplated nor brought to the table. The consultant bears testimony to this fact.
“This development has generated widespread apprehension and suspicion among workers, who perceive the requirement as a covert attempt to compel their enrolment into the Contributory Pension Scheme without adequate consultation, enlightenment, legislative clarity or agreement with workers.”
The unions maintained that any policy capable of altering workers’ conditions of service, pension arrangements, or retirement benefits must be subjected to full consultation with organised labour and other relevant stakeholders before implementation.
They warned that the concerns raised by workers could create anxiety, confusion, and industrial disharmony within the state public service if not properly addressed.
The unions therefore urged the state government to suspend the ongoing verification exercise immediately and engage labour leaders in dialogue to resolve the issues surrounding the pension component of the exercise.
As of the time of filing this report, the Office of the Head of Service had yet to officially respond to the demands of the organised labour.