The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has announced that it has resolved to embark on a nationwide protest against the ongoing strike action embarked by university workers due to the failure of the federal government to honour agreement reached with the unions in the past.
The Congress stated this intentions in a Communique which was issued on Thursday at the end of the meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) held in Abuja.
In the Communique jointly signed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, the Congress further pointed out that it world embark on a 3-days nationwide warning strike action in solidarity with the various university based unions and with Nigerian students if the Federal Government still fails to resolve the industrial crises in Nigeria’s universities at the end of the national protest and the 21-days ultimatum it earlier gave.
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The Communique which was obtained by the Africa Today News, New York on Thursday, read in part;
‘On the ongoing strike action by unions in Nigerian universities, the CWC resolved as follows: All affiliates of the NLC are to issue public statements condemning the intermittent strike actions in Nigeria’s universities particularly the current one which has gone on for about two months;
‘Within the span of the subsisting 21-days ultimatum given by Congress, the NLC will hold national protests against the current strike action affecting students of Nigeria’s public universities and occasioned by government’s failure to honour agreement reached with trade unions in our universities. The protest is to draw the attention of government to the inherent catastrophe in the emerging culture of Social Apartheid in our society especially as marked by prolonged lockout of students from working class and poor homes from our public universities while the children of the rich continue their academic pursuits uninterrupted; and
‘If at the end of the national protest and the 21-days ultimatum, the Federal Government still fails to resolve the industrial crises in Nigeria’s universities, the Congress would be left with no other option than to embark on a 3-days nationwide warning strike action in solidarity with our affiliates in the universities and with Nigerian students whose future and wellbeing are being robbed.
‘The CWC felicitates with workers on the commemoration of the 2022 International Workers Day and promise to communicate to workers if there are any changes to the date of the 2022 May Day.’ The communique concluded.
The Federal Government is yet to respond too the latest development even as the strike enters its third month.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK