- Calls for Release of Lecturers Withheld Salaries
- Demands Increased Budgetary Allocation to Education
THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the federal government to honour all collectively bargained agreement it had with unions in the tertiary education subsector with respect to wages and conditions of service.
The NLC also called on the government to release the withheld salaries of lecturers as it rejected the ‘no-work-no-pay rule’ invoked by the government during the 8-month-old strike that was recently suspended.
The NLC, in a communiqué at the end of its regular meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) held in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State capital, equally asked the federal government to increase budgetary allocation to the education sector.
According to the communiqué signed by Comrades Ayuba Wabba and Emmanuel Ugboaja, President and General Secretary respectively of the Congress, the NEC, after observing the collapse of effective collective bargaining machinery in the tertiary education sub-sector, marked by “…litigation, arm-twisting of conciliation efforts and extreme violations of human and trade union rights, withholding of the salaries of university workers and interference in trade union activities including balkanization of trade unions in the tertiary education sub-sector and overt threats to proscribe existing trade unions…called on the Minister of Labour and Employment to respect the provisions of Nigeria’s Constitution, Trade Unions Act (CAP T14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria), Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on respect for trade union independence, promotion of tripartism and social dialogue in the exercise of his mandate as a Minister.”
The NEC, the communiqué states, resolved “to defend trade union independence as guaranteed by the clear provisions of our labour laws.”
The Congress also called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency review the sectoral wages in the public sector particularly that of the health and judiciary sectors through collective bargaining machinery.
The NLC also resolved to in its efforts to advance trade union unity at both sectoral and national levels, pursue the formation of Joint Action fora at sectoral levels as well as “revitalize the proposed NLC-TUC Joint Organ meetings for the promotion of trade union unity and collective bargaining synergy.”
The NEC queried the attitude of some states’ houses of assembly towards the amendment of the constitution, particularly those aimed at “promoting good governance, autonomy for local governments, the judiciary, and State Houses of Assembly.”
The communiqué, reads in part: “The NEC Resolved as follows: Called on the 25 State Houses of Assembly yet to provide assent or otherwise to Constitution Alteration bills sent to them by the National Assembly to do so immediately given the critical place of the bills especially bills on autonomy for local governments, judiciary and State legislature for good governance and sustainable development.
“Vowed to mobilize a nationwide grassroots trade union action in collaboration with broader segments of society to reinforce the demand for autonomy for local government, judiciary and the legislature and other progressive bills as a top agenda in the current electioneering campaign in shaping voters’ choices.”
Adding its voice to the issue of illegal oil bunkering, NLC called on the “Nigerian government to deploy “Internet of Things” technology of to bring about effective surveillance of Nigeria’s oil pipelines and other critical oil facilities” as it also “urged the Federal Government to take other drastic actions within what the law permits to rein in the economic sabotage perpetrated by members of a few criminal cabals.”
The NLC also used the meeting to speak on issues on inflation, insecurity, the 2023 general elections, the flood disasters in many parts of the country, and its preparation for its 13th Quadrennial Delegates Conference coming up in February 2023.
