Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Obudu Mountain Resort branch of the National Union of Hotels and Personnel Service Workers have down tools over non-payment of eight months’ salary arrears and other benefits.
The union has, therefore, called Governor Ben Ayade to intervene urgently, boasting that it would shut down the entire resort within seven days if its members’ demands were not met.
The outstanding issues included arrears of salaries for nine months, non- payment of leave allowance from 2014 to date; non-payment of medical refund from 2014 to date; non-payment of bonus from 2014 to date and non-payment of union check-off dues which has amounted to over N12 million.
Others included non-payment of death/retired staff benefits and non-remittance of pensions deduction from April 2014 to January 2017.
In the letter dated January 24, 2018 and signed by the Chairman, Comrade Johnson Akon, and the Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Odey, the Union bemoaned the plight of their members who had been subjected to all sorts of indignities.
In the letter titled: ‘RE: Seven (7) Days Notice Of Strike Action To Resolve A ‘Bargaining Impasse’ At Obudu Mountain Resort’, and made available to newsmen, in Calabar, it read, “Following a letter with a similar title dated November 30, 2017, the representatives of the state have failed to come to a logical conclusion with the union over outstanding issues.
The letter added: “Sir, we wish to bring to your notice that the staff of Obudu Mountain Resort has resolved that if these issues are not resolved within the above stated period we will be forced with no other option than to embark on an industrial action.”