Union Rejects 25% Deduction Of Workers’ Salaries By Kaduna GovT

The state government had on April 26 announced its decision to embark on the monthly deduction of 25 per cent of worker’s salaries pending when the coronavirus pandemic will end.

The Joint Unions of Tertiary Institutions of Kaduna State (JUTIKS) has rejected the deduction of 25 per cent of workers’ salaries by the state government.

The union in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Mr Noah Danlami and the Secretary, Mr Jibril Makama in Kaduna on Wednesday, rejected the decision, describing it as an “illegal imposed levy”.

The government particularly said that career public servants earning a net pay of N67,000 and above after tax deductions, would donate 25 per cent of their salaries monthly whilst the lockdown lasted.

The union recalled that labour unions in the state had offered five per cent of workers’ salaries as their contribution, a move that was rejected by the government, which made a u-turn and imposed a 25 per cent deduction of workers’ wages.

The group added that providing palliatives to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on citizens was the responsibility of government that should not be shifted to workers, who have already been overburdened by responsibilities.

The union argued that while some states were considering an upward review of workers’ salaries as part of efforts to provide palliatives to the people, the Kaduna state government was imposing levy on workers.

It said that Kaduna state-owned tertiary institutions were still being paid 80 per cent of the obsolete CONTISS salary structure, as against the CONPCASS/CONTEDISS structure introduced 11 years ago.

“This made workers of Kaduna state tertiary institutions the least paid in the country, while still shouldering the responsibilities of not only their immediate and extended families but their neighbours as well.

“The government said that no public servant will have less than N50,000 monthly to manage in this emergency period. But this is not true as majority of workers are currently servicing different loans.

“The government is also aware that so many workers have acquired loans to purchase non-essential government houses.