NLC Threatens Solidarity Strike with University Workers
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on a three- day nationwide strike in solidarity with the four university-based industrial unions.
The threat came after the NLC met with the four university unions in Abuja, yesterday, over the failure of the federal government to address the concerns raised by the unions.
The leadership of the NLC had said the meeting was meant to appraise the level of engagement between the unions and the federal government.
General Secretary of NLC, Emma Ugbaja, had told some journalists before the commencement of the meeting that it was aimed at finding ways of resolving the face-off between the aggrieved unions and government in the interest of Nigerians.
Ugbaja said NLC considered it wise to hear from the unions first before taking any position, adding that, “the interest of labour was to ensure that the matter was sorted out.”
Federal government-owned universities in the country have been closed down as a result of the strike embarked by four unions – the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied Educational Institutions, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The four unions which are affiliates of the NLC withdrew their services over dispute on introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS), non-payment of revatization funds, earned allowances and delay in the review of the 2009 Agreement with the government.
Sources at the meeting told THISDAY last night that they resolved that the NLC would summon an emergency Central Working Committee, (CWC), meeting to take a position in solidarity with the university based unions.
The source said: “The NLC will take the matter to the CWC. One of the suggested ways to make government take action was a three-day strike which will lead to shutting down the economy in solidarity with the unions.”
However, the date of the CWC meeting has not been fixed.
