The Joint Labour Movements in Osun State have endorsed the seven-day ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the Federal Government and the state government to resolve the continued withholding of statutory allocations due to local government councils in the state.

The Joint Labour Movements, comprising the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), described the prolonged withholding of the allocations as an act of injustice against local government workers and residents.

In a joint statement issued in Osogbo on Monday, the state chairmen of the three organisations, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo (NLC), Bimbo Fasaasi (TUC) and Lekan Adediran (JNC), condemned the continued denial of the councils’ statutory funds, saying it had worsened hardship at the grassroots.

The labour unions expressed concern over the suffering of local government workers and other residents, arguing that the situation had caused more harm than good, particularly to vulnerable members of the population.

“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 said.

The unions stressed that workers should not be made to bear the consequences of political disagreements, administrative controversies or institutional power struggles.

While acknowledging the intervention of the Osun State Government in ensuring the payment of workers’ net salaries, the labour movements noted that salary payments alone could not address the broader implications of the crisis.

According to them, the prolonged disruption has affected allowances, cooperative deductions, gratuities and other legitimate entitlements of local government employees.

Consequently, Organised Labour fully endorses the seven-day ultimatum issued by the NLC, Osun State Council, to the Federal Government and Osun State Government, and calls on the relevant authorities to urgently comply with the demands contained in the communiqué,” they said.

The unions also declared support for 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 Osun State from November 12, should the authorities fail to resolve the dispute within the stipulated period.

They described the planned actions as legitimate expressions of workers’ collective resistance against injustice, aimed at protecting the livelihoods, rights and future of local government employees.

“Organised Labour will not fold its arms while the welfare and survival of its members are subjected to prolonged uncertainty and avoidable hardship,” the statement added.

The labour movements urged their affiliates, workers and other well-meaning stakeholders to remain united, vigilant and steadfast in solidarity with affected local government employees.

They further called on the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to demonstrate the political will required to resolve the impasse without further delay.

The unions reiterated their solidarity with the affected workers, declaring that “an injury to one is an injury to all.”