The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations with unions in tertiary institutions or face a nationwide industrial action.
The president of NLC, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this on Monday during an interactive session with labour correspondents in Abuja.
Ajaero stated, “We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU but the problem in this sector goes beyond ASUU.
“If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the NEC will meet and take a nationwide action that all workers in the country, all unions in the country will be involved so that we get to the root of all this.”
The NLC also condemned the government’s no-work-no-pay policy imposed on the Academic Staff Union of Universities for embarking on its nationwide strike.
“The so-called policy of no work, no pay will henceforth be no pay, no work. You can’t benefit from an action you instigated. We have discovered that most, 90 per cent of strike actions in this country are caused by failure to obey agreements,” Ajaero declared.
The interactive session followed a closed-door meeting between NLC and leaders of tertiary education-based unions at its Abuja headquarters.
ASUU had on October 13 embarked on a two-week warning strike after accusing the government of neglecting long-standing demands, including improved welfare, release of withheld salaries, revitalisation funds, and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.
