The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to join the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) if the Federal Government refuses to reverse its decision to implement the “No Work, No Pay” policy.
In a statement signed by Joe Ajaero, NLC President the union expressed full solidarity with ASUU, urging the government to immediately return to negotiations and address the core issues that led to the two-week warning strike.
NLC Blames Government for Education Crisis
The NLC strongly criticized the government’s handling of the crisis, calling the “No Work, No Pay” threat an unproductive attempt to misrepresent the situation.
- Breach of Trust: The NLC contends that the continuous crisis stems from the government’s refusal to honour agreements voluntarily reached with ASUU, which it says “is undermining public tertiary institutions.”
- “No Pay, No Work”: According to the NLC, the true breach of contract lies with the state, asserting that the lecturers are willing to work but cannot do so because the government has reneged on its financial commitments, thereby creating a “No Pay, No Work” situation.
- Educational Divide: The union argued that the ongoing neglect of public universities perpetuates an educational divide, limiting social mobility for the children of the poor and working class while the elite attend private institutions or study abroad.
The NLC’s Ultimatum
The NLC has demanded that the Federal Government use the two-week window of the current warning strike to present a concrete plan for the full implementation of all agreements with ASUU.
The statement concluded with a stern warning: “If, after this two-week warning strike, the government remains unresponsive, the NLC will not stand idly by.” The union plans to convene an emergency meeting with its affiliates in the tertiary education sector to develop a comprehensive strategy for escalating the industrial action.
