…Issues four-week ultimatum to meet demands
BY NGOZI A NWANKWO
The ongoing two-week warning industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has thrown the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate unions from the education sector against the Federal Government.
Consequently, the unions have dared the Federal Government in Abuja, during a meeting with its members by countering its ‘No work, no pay’ policy as the union on Monday, and declared ‘No pay, no work’ policy.
The NLC, alongside the unions, also gave the Federal Government a four-week ultimatum to conclude outstanding renegotiations of the 2009 agreements.
The unions include ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions, ASURI, College of Education Staff Union (COESU), among others have resolved to team up and work as one body in their agitations and struggle with the government.
While warning the Federal Government against threatening ASUU over reneged agreements, the union President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, accused the government of instigating a crisis which normally culminates in strike actions.
“The NLC after extensive deliberation with the unions in the tertiary institutions on finding solutions to the perennial problems in that sector decided to brief you guys that we have resolved at the level of NLC to work with the unions to make sure that we are able to find a lasting solution on the problems that they have been facing all these years.
“We have decided to establish a framework for engagement towards implementation of agreements, outstanding agreements, and towards sustainable funding of education, in line with UNESCO principles of 25 per cent, 26 per cent funding of education, and review of wage structures and allowances in the tertiary institutions, and as well as respect of trade union rights of collective bargaining.
“On this regard, we discovered that those governments sent to meetings go there without a mandate. Henceforth, nobody, the trade unions, either in the tertiary institutions or anywhere, will not go into any meeting with government representatives who don’t have mandates. Well, that is what is at the point of this crisis.
“You go and finish a negotiation, you sign an agreement, and then you go back to renege, never again. We will not condone this act. All over the world, agreements are held in a very serious dimension,” the union said.
On development of a coordinated team, Ajaero said: “We have agreed to set up a coordinated team and then ensure that we embark on a national campaign, henceforth.
“But to conclude it, we have decided to give the federal government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU, but the problem in this sector goes beyond ASUU or one union. All other unions are equally involved.
“That is why we are extending this to four weeks. If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the NLC will meet and take a nationwide action that all workers in the country, all unions in the country will be involved so that we get to the root of all this.
“The era of signing agreements, reneging and threatening the unions involved, that era has come to an end.
“The so-called policy of no work, no pay, should henceforth be no pay, no work. You can’t benefit from an action you instigated. We have discovered that 90 per cent of strike actions in this country are caused by failure to obey agreements.
“And you can’t refuse to obey agreements and you punish the other party. So, it’s a problem of cause and effect. So, the person that caused the problem will be ready to bear the consequence and you can’t beat the child and ask the child not to cry.”