The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) has called on Federal government to resolve within 21 days the foregoing issues militating against industrial harmony in Nigeria’s university system.
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This was contained in a communique of a joint meeting of NLC affiliates unions in the education sector held in Abuja.
Recall that the Academic Staff Union of Universities embarked on strike as a result 2009 agreement had with Federal government on their welfare.
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Below is the communique of NLC….
Preamble:
Congress scheduled and convened a meeting with affiliate Education Sector Unions on the 12th of April 2022. The overarching objective of the meeting was to take reports on the ongoing industrial dispute cum action in Nigeria’s University system.
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The meeting which was presided by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress had in attendance the Presidents of the following unions:
1. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU);
2. Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU); Withdraw from ASUU strike now, Students tell ASUU
3. Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU); and
4. National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT).
It would be recalled that acting proactively after meeting with affiliates in the education sector, the Nigeria Labour Congress on 18th August 2020 wrote the Honourable Ministers of Education, Labour and Employment, Finance, Budget and National Planning, and the Accountant General of the Federation in a letter titled “REQUEST FOR YOUR URGENT INTERVENTION IN THE BREWING CRISIS IN NIGERIA’S TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS OVER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTEGRATED PAYROLL PERSONEL INFORMATION SYSTEM AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL CONCERNS IN OUR IVORY TOWER”.
Unfortunately, only the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment through a letter dated 28th August 2020 acknowledged the letter conveying our concerns for Nigeria’s tertiary education.
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Issues in Dispute:
As captured in in the letters under reference, the key issues in disputes in the current crises bedeviling Nigeria’s tertiary education include:
NLC
Re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreement which is expected to be reviewed every three years;
Challenges with the implementation of the Integrated Payment Payroll Information System (IPPIS);
Funding of University and Tertiary Education System in Nigeria;
Non-payment of Arrears of Minimum Wage for University staff; and
Earned Allowances for both Academic and Non-Academic Staff of Nigeria’s Universities.
Our Concerns:
The intermittent and protracted strikes and other industrial actions in Nigeria’s public tertiary education system;
Non-Implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements signed with unions in Nigeria’s tertiary education system which touch on university funding, earned allowances, and other welfare issues facing universities staff; and
The fate of more than 95% of Nigerian students constituted largely by children of the poor who cannot afford to pay the average of One Million Naira school fees charged by private tertiary institutions and who are currently idling away at home while the children of the rich continue with their education.
Our Resolutions:
In light of the foregoing concerns, the meeting resolved as follows:
Called on the Federal Government to immediately set up a High-Powered Panel constituted of members with requisite mandates to resolve within 21 days the foregoing issues militating against industrial harmony in Nigeria’s university system; and
Pursuant to the foregoing resolution, the Nigeria Labour Congress would be convening a Special Meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of all the Affiliate Unions of the Congress to decide on the next line of action.
Signed
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, mni
President General Secretary
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