Abia NULGE begins three-day warning strike

Union threatens indefinite strike over unpaid salaries, allowances

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

UMUAHIA — The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Abia State chapter, has commenced a three-day warning strike over alleged non-payment of salaries, leave allowances and other outstanding entitlements owed local government workers.

The strike, which began on Monday, October 5, is expected to end on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

In a statement signed by the State President and Secretary of NULGE, Abia State, Lady Linda Unaeze and Comrade Ezike Ngozi, respectively, the union said the action followed a directive from its national leadership for all state chapters to embark on a three-day warning strike over unresolved welfare issues affecting local government employees.

The union directed all its members across the 17 local government areas of the state to withdraw their services for the duration of the warning strike.

NULGE said it would embark on an indefinite strike if the issues were not resolved after the three-day warning action.

According to the union, its State Administrative Council (SAC), at an emergency meeting on September 30, resolved to fully comply with the national directive.

The union said the strike was necessitated by the alleged non-payment of salaries to verified staff and unresolved access-code issues which it said had prevented some workers from receiving their salaries.

It also listed other grievances to include alleged non-payment of November and December 2020 salary arrears, non-implementation of promotions from 2021 to 2023, and the placement of some workers on what it described as wrong grade levels.

Other outstanding issues cited by the union were alleged non-payment of partial salary arrears after verification and outstanding leave allowances for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The statement said: “Total compliance with national directive on the three-days warning strike. The warning strike is necessitated by non-payment of verified staff, unresolved access code issues denying workers salaries.

“Non-payment of November/December 2020, two months arrears of salaries, non-implementation of promotions from 2021-2023 and placement of workers on wrong grade levels.

“Non-payment of partial salary arrears after verification, and outstanding leave allowance of 2023, 2024 & 2025 to majority of our members.”

NULGE said the state government had been put on notice that failure to address the grievances after the warning strike would leave the union with no option but to commence an indefinite industrial action, subject to further directives from its national headquarters.

It said the decision was in line with the directive of the union’s national secretariat.