The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary institution-based unions or face a nationwide strike.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this during an interactive session with labour correspondents after a meeting with leaders of the affected unions at the NLC headquarters in Abuja.
Ajaero condemned the government’s no-work-no-pay policy against ASUU members, describing it as unjust and provocative.
“We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. The problems go beyond ASUU. If after four weeks there is no resolution, the organs of the NEC will meet to declare a nationwide action involving all unions,” he warned.
He added that the NLC would henceforth adopt a “no pay, no work” stance, stressing that workers cannot continue to suffer for the government’s failure to honour agreements.
“The era of signing agreements and threatening unions for demanding implementation has ended,” Ajaero stated.
ASUU had last week announced an indefinite strike after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the government on September 28, citing unresolved issues around staff welfare, salary arrears, infrastructure decay, and non-implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.
Despite claims by Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, that government had released ₦50 billion for earned academic allowances and budgeted ₦150 billion for needs assessment, ASUU rejected the measures as inadequate.
The NLC reaffirmed its solidarity with ASUU and other education unions, warning that the failure to resolve the crisis could trigger a total shutdown of the country’s workforce.
“We will not allow public tertiary education to collapse. The government must respect collective agreements and prioritise the welfare of workers,” Ajaero said.
The emergency session resolved to intensify mobilisation across all labour affiliates ahead of a possible nationwide strike if government fails to act within the four-week window.
