Indications are rift that Nigerian government is insisting it would not pay the eight months salaries of the university lecturers for the period the strike lasted.
According to the statement released by ASUU while suspending the strike action stated that the Union was doing so on conditions. This could be adjudged to mean that should government renegade on the terms of surrender, ASUU could be at liberty then to take further actions.
Recent developments in the news confirms yet another conflict brewing. This is largely owed to the fears that the Nigerian government may yet stick to it’s earlier posture of “No work, no pay”.
FG is owing ASUU eight months salaries for the period in which the strike lasted. Fillers had it that all pending payments would be made to union members in two installments, however it appears that may be no longer be tenable.
ASUU embarked on strike on 14 February 2022 to demand that the FG honour the agreements it had with the union. Sadly however the industrial action continued until it was suspended on 14 October, exactly eight months after it was commenced.
The suspension followed the order of the court compelling the union to obey an industrial court’s ruling requesting ASUU to suspend its strike action pending a determination of a substantive suit at the National Industrial Court.
Fearing what government might do, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called out the Minister of Labour and Productivity Chris Ngige to desist from following such actions and has categorically rejected the No Work, No Pay policy of the Nigerian government against members ASUU over the union’s action.
In a communique issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Kebbi State NLC said it observed a collapse of effective collective bargaining machinery in the tertiary education sub-sector and also called on the government to honour all collective bargaining agreements with unions in the tertiary education sub-sector, especially with regards to wages and conditions of service.
NLC also called on the government to honour all collective bargaining agreements with unions in the tertiary education sub-sector, especially with regards to wages and conditions of service.
The communique, which was signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, reads in part; “This fact is buttressed by recent protracted industrial dispute in public universities in the country which was consummated in industrial litigation, arms 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 subsector and overt threats to proscribe existing trade unions”.
The NLC-NEC said it resolved to defend trade union independence as guaranteed by the clear provisions of labour laws.
The union, therefore, asked the government to release the withheld salaries owed the university workers, “we call on the Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige 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 Organization (ILO) on respect for trade union independence, promotion of tripartite and social dialogue in the exercise of his man” they said.
