ASUU Strike: Respect collective bargaining agreements with unions – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Federal Government to honor the Collective Bargaining Agreements reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary institution unions.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President, made the statement in an Easter address to workers and Nigerians on Monday in Abuja, with the subject “Hope That Never Dies.”

According to him, millions of Nigerian university students, particularly those attending public universities, are celebrating Easter outside of their campuses.

“This is not by reason of choice but because our country cut short their hopes.”

“The inability of the government to deliver on commitments it reached with our university workers, both academic and non-academic, has ensured that the streak of instability battering and buffeting our tertiary education system remains unresolved.

“It is even most tragic that the majority of the affected students are children from poor homes whose parents cannot afford to pay the outrageous fees charged by private universities.”

“Tragically, while students from poor homes are held back by frustrating cycles of strike actions, the children of the rich and powerful are in private campuses learning.”

“There is no sadder premiere of the Social Apartheid in our society than the intermittent and protracted strike actions in our public universities,’’ he said.

The NLC Chairman went on to say “We want respect for the Collective Bargaining Agreements signed with unions in our higher institutions and other sectors,”

Wabba also stated that many Nigerian employees have yet to benefit from the national minimum wage, which was signed into law over four years ago, noting that Cross River, Taraba, and Zamfara are the states that have yet to implement it.