A GROUP of workers under the aegis of All Workers Convergence (AWC) has called on affiliate unions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to declare a three-day nationwide warning strike after the federal government has failed to resolve the industrial impasse.
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, AWC asked the two labour centres to commence the warning strike from Monday, September 12 to Thursday, September 15, 2022 in solidarity with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to AWC, unions in the country have done everything they are supposed to do including nationwide protests to compel the government resolve strike but nothing positive has been achieved.
It called on the NLC and the TUC to commence mobilisation of their members for the three-day warning strike.
Entitled; “ASUU Strike: NLC and TUC, It is Time We Take Critical Decision, Declare a Three Day Warning Strike From September 12th,” the statement asserted that it is now clear that except the needed social action is taken, the government is not ready to meet the demands of the striking lecturers.
The statement reads:
“All that is needed to be done has been done to negotiate with the government on the protracted ASUU strike. It is very obvious now that what is left is our collective negotiable [sic] through a three-day national warning strike to commence from Monday 12th to 15th September, 2022. We, therefore, urge the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to as a matter of urgency declare action and start mobilization in earnest. The National Association of Nigerian Students and the civil society are also called upon to rally around labour in this regards [sic].
“It is now very obvious to all that except the needed social action is taken, the government is not ready to meet up with the needs of the striking lecturers.
“The NLC had earlier declared a two-day national protest in solidarity with ASUU, it is time for labour to make real her resolution to call for a warning strike as the government has continued to fail in addressing the demands of ASUU.
“It is our future that is at stake, it is time for us all to take this critical decision and prepare for action. One week is more than enough notice for the government. We cannot continue to sacrifice our tomorrow unnecessarily.
“We call on Nigerians to prepare for massive protest as Labour backs this critical decision.
“What has been happening is bad governance, if not how can our universities be shut down for over seven months and a government has not been able to find solutions?
“ASUU has done well to proposing [sic] the proper funding of our educational system. This struggle is not for ASUU alone, it is our collective struggle. At this critical time, we the people of Nigeria have decided to take our destiny into our hands. The demands of ASUU are our demands.
“We are advising the government to meet up with our demands to properly fund our educational system else the inevitable mass action is on the way. Any further attack on ASUU is an attack on the Nigerian people. We the Nigerian people have given ASUU our full mandate to pursue this fight to a logical conclusion.
“The three days strike cum protest will also address among other things, insecurity, mass killings everywhere and high cost of living in Nigeria. We have suffered enough, labour, it is time to act.”
