The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and affiliate unions from the education sector have declared a firm stance of “no pay, no work” in response to the Federal Government’s “no work, no pay” directive amid the ongoing two-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The unions, under the umbrella of the NLC, issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude the long-delayed renegotiation of the 2009 agreements affecting tertiary institutions.
Participating unions include ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), and the College of Education Staff Union (COESU), among others.
Addressing journalists after a joint meeting in Abuja, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the unions have resolved to work together as a single force to end the recurring crises in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
He emphasized that the era of government signing agreements and then reneging on them while threatening unions was over.
“The NLC, after extensive deliberations, has resolved to partner with the unions in finding a lasting solution to the persistent problems in the education sector. We are establishing a framework to ensure implementation of existing agreements, sustainable funding in line with UNESCO’s 25–26% education budget benchmark, and respect for trade union rights,” Ajaero stated.
He criticized government representatives for attending meetings without negotiation mandates, describing it as a major cause of recurring deadlocks.
“You negotiate, you sign, and then you renege — never again. Agreements must be respected. Globally, such commitments are taken seriously,” he added.
The NLC announced plans to launch a coordinated national campaign and warned that failure to meet the four-week deadline would trigger a nationwide industrial action involving all workers across sectors.
“If after four weeks the negotiations remain unresolved, the organs of the NLC will meet to declare a national strike. The era of failed agreements and threats against unions is over.
The policy of ‘no work, no pay’ should now mean ‘no pay, no work.’ You cannot cause a crisis and then punish workers for reacting. Most strikes are government-induced through neglect and insincerity,” Ajaero concluded.
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