TheNewsGuru

Tag: Industrial Action

  • The strike will go on as planned – NLC

    The strike will go on as planned – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), has again assured Nigerians that the proposed industrial action slated for Wednesday, June 7 will go on as planned if situations surround Fuel subsidy removal remains unchanged.

    NLC noted that the only reason the strike will not hold is if the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited NNPCL revert to status quo on the fuel subsidy removal issue.

    The body made this known via a statement by its Head of Information and Public Affairs on Sunday, Benson Ubah.

    The workers’ body was reacting to a story in a national newspaper on Sunday.

    It described the report as laughable and desperate attempt by enemies of the people to polarise Nigeria Labour Congress along ethnic or regional lines on an issue with a national spread.

    According to Upah, “this scenario only plays in their imagination as Nigeria Labour Congress continues to be the biggest pan-Nigerian organisation united by a common vision/ mission and shared national values.”

    “On the looming strike, we want to assure that all the affiliate unions of the Congress stand together with an unshakeable resolve to prosecute, come Wednesday, except the NNPC and Government do the needful.

    “Whereas, primordial sentiments such as religion, region or ethnicity may be refuge for some, at the Nigeria Labour Congress, they have no place. What counts for us are issues such as the mindless and criminal increase in the pump price of pms whose burden will be borne by the already impoverished communities of the poor across Nigeria,” it stated.

    NLC said the burden of the malevolent policy would not be borne by other segments of the country to the exclusion of the North or South-West, hence, there is no reason for those regions to back out of the strike.”

    Recall that the President, Bola Tinubu had during his inaugural speech declared that the era of subsidy for petroleum products was gone, a development that has had ripple effect on the Nigerian polity since May 29, 2023.

    Former President, Buhari only made provision for subsidy till June 2023 arguing that it was no longer sustainable to subsidize fuel in the country.

  • Rivers comedian berates NLC over planned industrial action

    Rivers comedian berates NLC over planned industrial action

    Port Harcourt-based comedian, David Sikpa, has condemned moves by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on nationwide industrial action following the scarcity of naira notes.

    The comedian, in a statement in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, described the moves by the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, as provocative, counter productive and self-serving.

    He said the strike would increase the ongoing economic hardship in the country and advised NLC to have a rethink.

    According to him, the industrial action was no longer necessary since the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, had taken steps to make the naira notes available.

    In the words of the comedian: “It is unfortunate that the NLC intends to embark on this strike when the Governor of the Apex Bank, Godwin Emefiele has tendered unreserved apology to Nigerians and has further given directives to deposit money banks to implement order of the Supreme Court.

    “Where was NLC when ASUU was on eight-month strike and Nigerian students were helpless? Where was NLC when Nigerians were kidnapped and killed randomly by bandits among other insecurity challenges? Where was NLC over hike in foodstuffs ,growing inflation among other economic challenges?”

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that NLC is an umbrella organization for trade unions in Nigeria.

    History of NLC
    The Nigerian Labour Congress was founded in December 1978, as a merger of four different organisations: the Nigeria Trade Union Congress (NTUC), Labour Unity Front (LUF), United Labour Congress (ULC) and Nigeria Workers’ Council (NWC).

    However, the recently-established Federal Military Government, led by Murtala Mohammed, refused to recognise the new organisation, and instead set up the Adebiyi Tribunal to investigate the activities of trade unions and their leaders. The Tribunal reported in 1976 and claimed that all the existing trade union centres propagated Cold War ideologies, depended on funding from international union federations, and mismanaged funds.

    This was used as a justification to ban all four centres, with M. O. Abiodun appointed as the administrator of trade unions. He accepted the establishment of a new Nigeria Labour Congress, on the condition that the approximately 1,500 affiliated unions were restructured into 42 industrial unions, plus 19 unions representing senior staff.

    In 1978, the Nigeria Labour Congress was established, with the 42 industrial unions affiliated. It was to be the only legal trade union federation.

    Its leadership included many of the leading figures from its four predecessors, with Wahab Goodluck becoming its founding president.

    During its history, conflicts with the military regime twice led to the dissolution of the NLC’s national organs, the first in 1988 under the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida and the second in 1994, under the regime of General Sani Abacha.

    In 1996, the 42 affiliates of the NLC were merged into 29, by Act of Parliament.[2] Under Nigeria’s military governments, labour leaders were frequently arrested and union meetings disrupted. Following democratic reforms in the country, some of the anti-union regulations were abolished in January 1999. The same month Adams Oshiomhole was elected President of the reformed organisation.

    In the early 2000s, conflict between the government and the NLC escalated due to the organisation’s opposition to higher fuel prices.[6] The price increases are the result of decisions by the Olusegun Obasanjo government to dramatically reduce subsidies and to deregulate the purchase and sale of fuel.

    The NLC has led several general strikes protesting the government’s fuel price policy.

  • Strike: ASUU set to meet today to review Appeal Court ruling

    Strike: ASUU set to meet today to review Appeal Court ruling

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will be holding a crucial meeting today (Sunday) to review the Court of Appeal jugment asking them to call off the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the union eight months ago.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Appeal Court on Friday upheld the ruling of the National Industrial Court  (NIC) ordering the Union to call off its prolonged industrial action embarked upon eight months ago and continue to negotiate with the government by the side.

    ASUU on February 14, 2022 shut down public universities across the country while demanding for the full implementation of earlier agreements between it and the Federal Government.

    But following fruitless efforts by the government and other stakeholders to reach a truce with the aggrieved lecturers, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, on September 11, dragged ASUU to the National Industrial Court.

    The court, on September 24, ordered the union to return to classroom while negotiation with the Federal Government continues.

    Not pleased with the ruling, ASUU headed to the appellate court to appeal the ruling.

    ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, told Newsmen on Friday while reacting to the ruling that the union would review the Appeal Court’s order before it would decide on the next line of action.

    He said, “We have not received the ruling, when we get it, we will review it with our lawyer and then we can take the next step”.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had while reacting to the development on Friday, said labour controllers across the States of the federation are monitoring schools to ensure compliance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal.

    “I have asked labour controllers in the states and the zones to go to the schools and see if the vice-chancellors have opened the gates.

    “If they don’t, they will be charged for contempt,” he said while featuring on a Channels Television program.

    Meanwhile, a member of the union who pleaded anonymity, told Newsmen on Saturday that the National Executive Council of ASUU would be meeting today to review the Appeal Court judgment.

    He said, “The Appeal Court ruling will be critically reviewed on Sunday and it is after that we will know the fate of Nigerian students who have been forced to stay at home for almost eight months due to the Federal Government’s negligence.

    “Ngige and the Buhari government failed to understand that even if they force the union to resume work, they cannot force the lecturers to teach the Nigerian students whose future have been jeopardized”.

     

  • Ekiti workers threaten strike over pensions, unpaid benefits

    Civil servants in Ekiti state have given the state government three weeks to pay backlogs of arrears or risk an indefinite strike action.

    The workers lament the non-payment of the arrears as reasons life has been unbearable for them amid present harsh economic situations.

    The workers, under the aegis of Trade Union Congress, also bemoaned the incessant kidnappings in the state in recent times and charged the government and security agencies “to quickly rise to the challenge and nip it in the bud.”

    This development was made known In a communiqué signed by TUC State Chairman, Sola Adigun, and Secretary, Yomi Peters, at the end of its meeting held in Ado-Ekiti on Monday.

    However, Adigun said Governor Kayode Fayemi  had promised to offset all arrears of payment before the expiration of his tenure in October, noting  that he still had the opportunity of the next 21 days to redeem the promise.

    Meanwhile, Adigun and Peters listed their demands to include: remittance of already deducted dues such as co-operative deductions, contributory pension bank loans repayment, NHF fund, to the appropriate quarters.

    They also lamented that most members of TUC had not benefited from the new minimum wage after almost two years of implementation in the state, and called on the government “to implement the minimum wage across the board for all workers without further delay.”

    While also noting that the 2018-2019 promotion exercise was selectively implemented, the union called on the government to ensure that others exempted should be immediately captured for financial remuneration.

    The workers also frowned at the refusal of the Accountant-General of the state to continue with cooperative savings of Ekiti workers, due to the alleged presence of some syndicate operating in her office.

  • ASUU accuses FG of unwillingness to end strike soon

    ASUU accuses FG of unwillingness to end strike soon

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of Educational and Associated Institutions and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have said their ongoing industrial actions would not be called off soon following Federal Government’s failure to reach a strong agreement with them.

     

    All the university unions in the country are presently on strike.

     

    ASUU started its strike on February 14, 2022 and JAC commenced its own on April 14, 2022.

     

    The unions embarked on industrial actions while demanding improved welfare packages, better working conditions and implementation of various labour agreements signed with the Federal Government between 2009 and 2020.

     

    The national leaders of ASUU and JAC of SSANU and NASU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke and Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, respectively told our correspondent that the Federal Government and all stakeholders in the education sector and religious leaders had a meeting with the four unions but no strong agreements were reached.

     

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, was quoted in a report at the weekend as saying, “We had a cordial and fruitful discussion; we looked at the issues dispassionately and reached some agreements, to the satisfaction of everybody in attendance.”

     

    But Osodeke said Ngige’s claim after the meeting that the unions would call off the ongoing strike this week was a political statement.

     

    He said, “We are not aware that we are calling off the strike. We met but there was nothing concrete between us and the government. Like we said before, we do not want promises, we want actions, if they show action and implement all the issues, we will go to our members, but knowing their antecedents, we know they will not do anything.

    “They promised us since December 2020 and it is going to a year and a half, they have not done anything. We are waiting for them.

     

    “As far as we are concerned, only when they sign our agreements, accept UTAS, release EAA and revitalisation funds will we call the strikes off.”

     

    Ibrahim added that the major progress he could point at during the meeting was the ordering of the National Information Technology Development Agency, by the presidency who was represented by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the meeting, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to subject the three payment solutions; Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system , University Transparency and Accountability Solution and University Peculiar Payroll Payment System, to integrity test and submit in three weeks.

     

    “We are not talking about calling off strike now,” he said.

     

    GROUNDS FOR STRIKE:

    Government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed between the union and the government; the government’s poor commitment to the payment of academic earned allowance (EAA); the continued use of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System and refusal to adopt the Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), and proliferation of the universities in the country.

     

    ASUU also accused the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of encroaching on the statutory roles of the senates of universities over the admission of candidates by the institutions.

     

    The union also frowned at the appointment of Nigeria’s minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Ibrahim, as a professor at a federal university (FUTO) and threatened to sanction all those it said took part in the processes leading to what it described as the illegal appointment.

     

    On IPPIS:

    Speaking on IPPIS, the union in its communique of February 14, 2022 said; “The imposition of this grotesque platform challenged our union to develop an alternative system to IPPIS – the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS). This locally developed and cost-effective alternative payment platform has the distinct capacity to check corruption and preserve the hard-earned autonomy of Nigerian universities for the good of the country. Regrettably, FGN is still foot-dragging over its adoption, contrary to an earlier agreement with our union, thereby allowing the financial chaos heralded by IPPIS to continue.”

     

    On EAA:

    ASUU said; “Compatriots of the press, the Federal Government promised to mainstream the EAA into the annual federal budget in the various memoranda signed with ASUU and the Government recently released N221 billion for payment of some EAA allowances. However, many years of unpaid entitlements are outstanding, serving as triggers for industrial crisis in our universities.”

     

    On visitation panel:

    The union condemned what it termed the continued delay in the release of the white papers on the reports of the visitation panels to the universities. The panels were set up by the government.

     

     

    “Sending Visitation Panels to universities on a periodic (5-yearly) basis is a critical evaluation requirement stipulated in our university laws. Our Union had to embark on an action for the FGN to institute such panels. However, many months after the panels submitted their reports, the White Papers are yet to be released. We call for the immediate release of the White Papers to address numerous lapses in the administration of Nigeria’s federal universities,” ASUU said.

     

    Appeal for support:

    Meanwhile, the union pleaded with Nigerians for understanding, saying the declaration of the strike became very important to preserve the sanctity of the Nigerian university system.

     

    “Comrades and compatriots, it was a painful decision for NEC to arrive at the roll-over strike option. Contrary to the views canvassed in some quarters, our union loathes to disrupt academic activities on our campuses. We love our students and respect their parents and guardians. We are also not insensitive to the genuine concerns about stable academic calendars in public universities expressed by patriotic Nigerians and lovers of Nigeria. But the blame should be squarely put at the doorsteps of those who have ignored our patriotic yearnings for a development-oriented education in Nigeria.

     

    “The patience of our members has been tasked beyond tolerable limits. The greatest asset of any nation is its human capital. Any nation that pays lip service to education as we currently witness in Nigeria will only grow in age and never experience genuine development. We therefore seek the understanding and support of all stakeholders to make the Nigerian government more responsive to issues of human capital development including health and education,” the union said.

  • Why can’t FG take N200bn from N4trn budgeted for fuel subsidy to end Universities lecturers strike – ASUU

    Why can’t FG take N200bn from N4trn budgeted for fuel subsidy to end Universities lecturers strike – ASUU

    The President, Academic Staff Union of University, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, has wondered why the Federal Government could not take N200bn from the N4trillion budgeted for fuel subsidy to put an end to the industrial action.

     

    Speaking on Wednesday, Osodeke said, “It is always funny that the government cannot raise N200bn to revamp all Nigeria’s universities annually, to world standards. The same government can raise N4trillion for fuel subsidy.

     

    “You can raise a budget to make N4trillion for subsidy in a year, but you cannot raise N200bn to fund your education where you don’t have the infrastructure. You can spend N228bn to feed children in primary or secondary schools but you cannot raise this fund for your university; it is an issue of priority. That is the problem.

     

    “If you remove N200bn from N4trillion to fund your universities, you still have N3.8trillion for fuel subsidy. We don’t believe there is a fuel subsidy. There is no country where you have the crude intelligentsia.

     

    “You have been importing fuel for the past 20 years; something is ongoing. No country in the world will do that. In the 60s, we built four refineries, and between 1999 and now, we cannot build one or service the ones we had.”

     

  • Public Varsities totally shutdown as NASU,SSANU join strike

    Public Varsities totally shutdown as NASU,SSANU join strike

     

    The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) have joined ASUU to declare a two-week warning strike.

    The unions have described as non-challance the attitude of Federal Government towards their demands and agitations.

    It stated this in a joint press statement signed by both the National President of SSANU, Comrade H. Ibrahim and the General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi.

    The statement read in part “Having waited for so long, this is to inform you that the government has not responded nor reacted to our demands as at this moment.”

    “This is to direct our members in all universities and inter-universities centres throughout the country to commence a two-week warning strike by midnight of Sunday, 27th March, 2022 in the first instance as earlier conveyed to the Federal Government in our letter.”

    The statement thereby emphasized that the two-week warning strike should be comprehensive and total, adding that no concession should be given in any guise.

    “Your strict compliance and adherence to the directive is mandatory to all branches of NASU and SSANU in the Universities and Inter- Universities Centres throughout the country,” the statement concluded.

    The strike by these unions have now totally grounded activities in Nigeria’s public varsities.

    Recall that ASUU has already embarked on a 3- month-strike, the body claims that their demands have not been fully met by the Federal Government

  • Junior police officers dare IGP, insist on going on strike

    Junior police officers dare IGP, insist on going on strike

    Nigeria police junior officers have insisted they will embark on the planned industrial actions despite pleas from Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

    The junior officers said the strike would commence on March 26, the same day chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would gather in Abuja for their national convention. The junior cops have written a letter to the IGP stating that they will not receive any salary less than 100,000 naira per month.

    In the letter, the officers also revealed that Level 3 officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly receives N280,000 monthly, while a constable receives just N45,700 per month.

    Also, they said that a Level 8 officer of the EFCC goes home with over N490,000 every month, but an Inspector of police, with many years of experience, is being paid N109,200 as monthly salary.

    They are of the opinion that they are being underpaid whilst defending people and sacrificing their own lives.

    They said the planned strike is inevitable considering that the management haven’t shown any sign to act on their demands.

    “lackadaisical attitude of the police authorities in representing us before the Federal Government.”

    “Sir, are you aware of the suffering your officers are exposed to? Many of us can’t afford 3-square meals per day. Some can’t send their children to school without bribes. Go to the barracks, you will see the slums where those officers that escort you around sleep.

    “Sir, the least constable, who pays house rent, electricity bills, feeds himself and his family still earns about N47,000 in a month. Tell me how such a constable will not extort members of the public?

    The officers submitted that they are fully aware of the consequences of going against the superiors in the force saying it’s tantamount to mutiny, they however said that there is nothing they can do as regards that, saying their leaders can’t be trusted and admitting they have been pushed to the wall.

     

    Speaking further, the aggrieved officers said they would embark on the purported strike, “if constables earn less than N100,000 monthly; if we continue to buy kits for ourselves; if our promotions are delayed without reason while you give those that serve in IGP SEC special promotions; if our men continue to die without compensation for their families; if the federal government continues to expose our men to danger by not providing weapons to combat crime.”

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    ” Some can’t send their children to school without bribes. Go to the barracks, you will see the slums where those officers that escort you around sleep.

    “Sir, the least constable, who pays house rent, electricity bills, feeds himself and his family still earns about N47,000 in a month. Tell me how such a constable will not extort members of the public?

    “We know how much the Senators, House of Representatives members, governors and others we protect day and night earn monthly, yet we don’t misbehave; but don’t forget that a hungry man is an angry man,”

    “Sir, are you aware of the suffering your officers are exposed to? Many of us can’t afford 3-square meals per day. Some can’t send their children to school without bribes. Go to the barracks, you will see the slums where those officers that escort you around sleep.

    It was gathered that the open letter was unanimously writtenand signed by concerned junior police officers.

     

     

     

     

  • Workers’ Day: Labour threatens fresh industrial action over Minimum Wage Law

    Workers’ Day: Labour threatens fresh industrial action over Minimum Wage Law

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Ayuba Wabba on Saturday threatened to embark on a mass industrial action if the proposed bill which seeks to transfer minimum wage to the concurrent list is passed by the National Assembly.

    Mr Wabba made the remark during an event organised to mark Workers’ Day in Abuja.

    “There have been attempts by a section the ruling class to remove the national minimum wage from Exclusive Legislative list to the concurrent list,” he said.

    “This is condemnable. The national minimum wage is a global standard.

    “Therefore, we are reinforcing our earlier position to state that Nigerian workers will not allow a situation where the progress we have made for the past 40 years to be taken by these group of politicians we are going to insist that any day that this law is considered by any of the chambers, Nigerian workers are going to withdraw their services.”

    He also said Kaduna workers will withdraw their services for five days in protest of the sacking of workers by the Kaduna State Government.

    If the workers are not reinstated, Mr Wabba stressed, there will be a total shutdown.

    Meanwhile Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, who was representing President Muhammadu Buhari at the event, said the new minimum wage law applies to everyone, and state governments are bound by it.

    He added that he is opposed to moving the minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list.

    The minimum wage bill is being sponsored by Garba Datti, an APC lawmaker from Kaduna.

    The bill passed second reading at the House of Representatives in February.

    According to Datti, rather than impose a central minimum wage, states should have the capacity to decide their own wages, based on their own socio-economic variables and circumstance.

    However, the NLC has described the bill as anti-worker.

    On March 10, NLC members staged a protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja before marching to the National Assembly complex to demand the bill’s withdrawal.

  • Judiciary workers threaten to shutdown courts days after doctors embark on strike

    Judiciary workers threaten to shutdown courts days after doctors embark on strike

    Like resident doctors, Nigerian judiciary workers have announced their plans commence a nationwide strike.

    The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) declared that the indefinite action will commence after the Easter holiday.

    A circular issued on Saturday ordered the closure of courts across the country from Tuesday, April 6.

    The communication signed by JUSUN’s General Secretary, I. M. Adetola, copied all states and zonal heads of the union.

    JUSUN recalled that at its last national meeting on March 13, in Abuja, a 21-day deadline was issued to the government.

    The union is demanding the immediate implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.

    “As a result of the public holiday on April 5, 2021, the strike action has been postponed to Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

    “You are directed to shut down courts and departments in your states until further notice from the National Secretariat of JUSUN in Abuja,” the circular read.