ASUU

ASUU: RELEASE WITHHELD SALARIES, NLC TELLS FG

Published

1 year ago

October 25, 2022

The Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to release the withheld salaries of the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The union made this known in a communique made available at the National Executive Council meeting held in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State.

The Federal Government activated the no-work-no-pay policy against ASUU following the protracted strike.

In the communique, the body said, “NEC noted the collapse of effective collective bargaining machinery in the tertiary education sub-sector.

“This fact is buttressed by the recent protracted industrial dispute in public universities in the country which was consummated in industrial litigation, arm-twisting of conciliation efforts and extreme violations of human and trade union rights, withholding of the salaries of university workers and interference in trade union activities, including balkanization of trade unions in the tertiary education sub-sector and overt threats to proscribe existing trade unions.

The NEC resolved as follows: Called on Government to honour all collective bargaining agreements with unions in the tertiary education sub-sector, especially with regards to wages and conditions of service and increase budgetary allocation to the education sector;

Called for the release of withheld salary owed university workers. Rejects the “no work-no pay” policy of government;

Called on the Minister of Labour and Employment to respect the provisions of Nigeria’s Constitution, Trade Unions Act (CAP T14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria), Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation on respect for trade union independence, promotion of tripartism and social dialogue in the exercise of his mandate as a Minister.

NEC further resolved to defend trade union independence as guaranteed by the clear provisions of our labour laws”.

ASUU

NLC, TUC, ASUU, Others Defy Court Order As They Begin Strike

Published

2 weeks ago

November 14, 2023

Pamilerin Fedpolygist

The NLC had on Monday announced the commencement of the industrial action from midnight of Monday, 13 November, in defiance to a restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court in Abuja on Friday.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and its affiliates including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, began a nationwide strike, in defiance to a restraining court order barring them from embarking on the industrial action.

The two major labour unions, NLC and TUC, had declared the strike, following the brutalisation of the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on 1 November. Mr Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the state capital, during an NLC protest against the Imo State government over alleged maltreatment of workers in the state.

The unions on Monday directed their members to down tools across the country as from Tuesday.

This is despite the restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court, in Abuja, on Friday, stopping the labour unions from embarking on the strike. The judge, Benedict Kanyip, ordered the two major labour unions to stop their industrial action scheduled to commence 14 November.

The interim order followed an ex-parte request by the Nigerian government through the office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, due to the Labour unions’ threat to embark on strike.

Ignoring the court order, ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, a professor of soil science, on Monday, directed compliance with the strike declaration in a letter to ASUU zonal coordinators and branch chairpersons across the country.

“As an affiliate of NLC, all members of our union are hereby directed to join this action of NLC to protect the interest of Nigerian workers and the leadership of the union. Zonal coordinators and branch chairpersons should immediately mobilise our members to participate in the action,” ASUU President, Mr Osodeke, wrote in a letter to zonal and branch chairpersons of the union.

When PREMIUM TIMES asked Mr Osodeke if he was aware of the subsisting court order stopping the strike, he said the question should be directed to the NLC which called for the strike.

“Call the NLC, ASUU did not declare a strike, NLC declared the strike. Call NLC,” he said in a telephone interview on Tuesday morning.

But the NLC’s head of information, Benson Upah, did not respond to phone calls and messages sent to his line requesting for comments, as of the time of filing this report.

The labour unions had, on Monday, refused to acknowledge the court order while directing their members to withdraw their services as from Tuesday.

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