*The Nigeria Labour Congress expresses concern about some media reports suggesting the Federal Government may have rejected its own Nimi-Briggs Committee on strike by the the Academic Staff Union of Universities

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

In obvious solidarity with the striking University lecturers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has disclosed it will embark on a nationwide protest between July 26 and 27, 2022, over the alleged failure of the Federal Government to resolve its dispute with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other trade unions in the public universities and others.

The circular, originally issued July 15, was addressed to the Chairpersons and Secretaries of NLC State Councils.

Mr. Ayuba Wabba, President of NLC, also faulted the Government’s purported rejection of the Nimi-Briggs Committee Report of the university-based union鈥檚 negotiations.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari

绿帽献妻 reports Wabba said this in a circular jointly signed and issued by Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress, Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Abuja, FCT.

In the separate statement issued Sunday, Mr. Wabba, again, faulted the Federal Government’s purported rejection of the Nimi-Briggs Committee report of the university based union鈥檚 negotiations.

The action, according to NLC President, is in line with the decisions of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress held June 30.

Wa ba stated: 鈥淲e have scheduled as follows the National Days of Protest to get our children back to school and support our unions in Nigeria鈥檚 public universities fighting for quality education.

鈥淭he dates are on July 26 and 27 at all the state capitals of the federation and Abuja the Federal Capital Territory and take off point are at the NLC State Secretariats and the Labour House, Abuja.”

He also said: 鈥淵ou are requested to immediately convene the meetings of your SAC to disseminate this information, and to fully mobilise workers in the states for this very important protest for good governance.”

Recall the ASUU and other trade unions in the public education sector of the economy have been on strike for over five months over alleged failure of the government to honour the agreement earlier sealed with the unions.

The demands of the striking workers include issues bordering on funding of universities, salaries and earned allowances of lecturers.

The alleged action is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the ILO Convention Number 98 ratified by Nigeria and which core principle is Negotiation in Good Faith, noted Wabba.

The President of NLC further stated: 鈥淭he Nigeria Labour Congress is concerned about reports widely disseminated by the media both online and traditional, positing that the Federal Government may have rejected its own Nimi-Briggs Committee.

鈥淭hat is聽 on the premise of alleged disparity between the pay rise allocated to university teaching staff and the non-teaching staff.

鈥淔irst, we wish to posit that the purpose for setting up the Nimi Briggs Committee was to conform to the fundamental principles of the rights of trade unions to collective bargaining as guaranteed by ILO Convention Number 98 which Nigeria has ratified.

Mr. Wabba pointed out that one of the cardinal principles of collective bargaining was the principle of negotiation in good faith.

He noted that elements of the principle included conducting genuine and constructive negotiations.

The Labour Union President, however, noted that since the government set up the Nimi-briggs Committee to make recommendations on the review of the salaries of workers in Nigeria鈥檚 universities, the unions and NLC had been kept in the dark on the report of the Committee.

According to him, it is a shocker to read from the media snippets of a report of what is strictly the product of a negotiation between the Federal Government committee and the concerned trade unions.

鈥淥ur first response is to aver that this development gravely betrays and undermines the principle of negotiation in good faith, as it manifests crass disrespect by the government for trade unions in Nigeria鈥檚 universities,鈥欌�� said he.

Wabba also submitted the Congress, therefore, demanded that the Federal Government should immediately conclude the ongoing negotiation with trade unions in the Nigerian universities.

He urged the authorities聽 to be prepared to commence the implementation of whatever Collective Bargaining Agreement arising from it.

鈥淭hey should also immediately pay the salaries of striking university workers which had been frozen on the premise of the so-called 鈥渘o work-no pay鈥� policy, especially as recommended by the leaders of Nigeria鈥檚 two major faiths,鈥欌�� the NLC President stated.

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