The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) or face a nationwide shutdown.
NLC President Joe Ajaero on Monday October 20 stated that the ultimatum is to give the government enough time to conclude all outstanding issues with the university lecturers, including the long-standing 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement.
The NLC has warned that if the government fails to act within the four-week timeframe, they will mobilize all workers and unions across the country for a nationwide industrial action. The labour union has also criticized the government’s “no work, no pay” policy, stating that it will henceforth be met with a “no pay, no work” stance.
“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, that is why we are extending this to four weeks.
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 era of signing agreements, negotiations and threatening the unions involved, that era has come to an end.” NLC clearly stated.
