ASUU Strike: NLC rejects Nigerian government’s No Work, No Pay rule

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the No Work, No Pay policy of the Nigerian government against members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the union’s recently suspended strike.

NLC also called on the government to honour all collective bargaining agreements with unions in the tertiary education sub-sector, especially with regards to wages and conditions of service.

In a communique issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Kebbi State on Monday, NLC said it observed a collapse of effective collective bargaining machinery in the tertiary education sub-sector.

The communique, which was signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, reads in part; “This fact is buttressed by recent protracted industrial dispute in public universities in the country which was consummated in industrial 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”.

The NLC-NEC said it resolved to defend trade union independence as guaranteed by the clear provisions of labour laws.

The union, therefore, asked the government to release the withheld salaries owed the university workers.

The labour union also “called on the Minister of Labour and Employment (Chris Ngige) 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.”

No Work No PayThe Nigerian government had insisted it would not pay the eight months salaries of the university lecturers for the period the strike lasted.

ASUU embarked on strike on 14 February to demand that the government honour the agreements it has had with the union. The industrial action continued until the union suspended it on 14 October, exactly eight months after it commenced the strike.

The suspension followed the order of the appeal court which ordered the union to obey the industrial court’s ruling that ASUU suspend its strike pending the determination of the substantive suit at the National Industrial Court.

The Nigerian government had, through the Minister of Labour and Employment, referred the dispute to the court.

But the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, was said to have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to pay the lecturers salaries for the period.

ASUU Vice President, Chris Piwuna, also stated last Wednesday, that the union is optimistic that their salaries would be paid.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe