ASUU: Why NLC Can’t Negotiate on Our Behalf

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday alleged that it would not allow the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to negotiate on its behalf in trade disputes because some of the labour leaders are sell-out.

Chairman, University of Ilorin (UITH) branch of ASUU Prof. Moyosore Ajao made the allegation in Ilorin, Kwara State capital at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).

The theme of the lecture is “Results-oriented unionism in a democratic setting.”

Ajao said that ASUU has no apology for any union leaders who wine and dine with the government.

“We have peculiarities of our profession that the NLC might not fully understand and you cannot negotiate if you don’t know the peculiarities and the challenges of such association.

“Second, we are not happy with the leadership of the NLC in some of the way and manner they have coordinated the affair of the union.

“So, ASUU on its own has its leadership but we’re an affiliate of the NLC.

“We have never withdrawn our affiliate. We have our own leadership that deals with our own responsibilities.

“Every time we meet with the government for negotiation, NLC is always represented. But they can only come in as watching brief. I cannot come and negotiate your marriage and children with you when I am not part of the marriage, but I can come as a moderator to ensure things are done normally.

“NLC cannot take the responsibility of the leadership of the ASUU to say they want to negotiate for it.

“ASUU can no longer trust leaders of the NLC who have sold out. Some of them are even richer than some governors. So, I have no apology for those who wine and dine with the government and share a national cake with political leaders. ASUU has no apology for that”, he said.

He argued that ASUU does not fight every successive government in the country; rather “we only challenge every government not to destroy an educational system of the nation.”

National President of the NUAHP, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, represented by the deputy national president (South), Comrade Victor Olusegun, said that members of the union faced greater risks of exposure, especially frontline and other essential service workers due to the outbreak of the novel COVID-19.