As an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), we hereby register our solidarity with the nationwide strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) to compel the Federal Government to respect the Agreement signed with ASUU since 2009 to pay lecturers their earn allowance.
Once an agreement is signed, it becomes binding on the two parties, in this case the Federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Acting contrary to the terms of collective agreement as done by the Federal government is a violation that is injurious to the industrial relations process. ASUU strike is a legitimate move to enforce an agreement freely entered into with the Federal government four (4) years ago.
We therefore call on the Federal government to urgently put an end to the strike action through immediate implementation of the agreement reached with ASUU. The Honourable Ministers of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i and Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu must be on duty to urgently resolve the lingering issues with ASUU.
NUPENG STRIKE
We also support the 3-day warning strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that started on Monday July 1, 2013 to press home its demand for an end to unfair labour practices by some international oil companies (IOCs) notably Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Limited and Nigeria Agip Oil Company toward its members.
The Nigerian oil and gas sector is one sector noted for precarious jobs by some exploitative employers. International oil companies dubiously engage in unfair labour practice through casualisation of Nigerian workers and outsourcing of workers, among other issues; contrary to ILO conventions and recommendations on decent jobs.
The Federal government through the Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke and the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu must urgently intervene to ensure the issues are resolved as quickly as possible to spare the nation from unnecessary fuel crisis capable of paralysing industrial and commercial activities in the country.
Issa Aremu mni
GENERAL SECRETARY, NATIONAL UNION OF TEXTILE & GARMENT WORKERS (NUTGTWN)
VICE PRESIDENT, NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC)
