NLC to commence three-day warning strike in solidarity with ASUU, others

In solidarity with affiliate unions in universities and Nigerian students, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to go on a three-day nationwide warning strike.

The union’s warning was contained in a statement signed by its President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, and General Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, and distributed to journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

The communiqué was released at the conclusion of the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Congress.

On April 13, the NLC gave the Federal Government 21 days to put up a High-Powered Panel to tackle the concerns that were leading the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and others to go on strike.

According to the CWC, the NLC has threatened to hold protests against the lingering ASUU strike within the subsisting 21days ultimatum.

“This is also occasioned by government’s failure to honour agreements reached with trade unions in our universities.

Read also: NLC slams politicians’ obsession with power, despite lingering ASUU strike

“If at the end of the national protest and the 21 days ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to resolve the industrial crises in Nigeria’s universities, the Congress would be left with no other option than to embark on three days nationwide warning strike.

“This is in solidarity with our affiliates in the universities and with Nigerian students, whose future and wellbeing are being jeopardised,’’ it stated.

According to the CWC, the protest was held to call the government’s attention to the inherent disaster in the society’s increasing culture of social apartheid, which has resulted in kids from low-income families being locked out of academics for lengthy periods of time.

It further stated that NLC affiliates would publish public statements criticizing the sporadic strikes in Nigeria’s colleges.

According to the union, the present strike, which has lasted nearly two months, is concerning.

The CWC also called the current state of instability “very unacceptable,” and urged the government to contain the cancer before it engulfed the entire country.

It urged for an all-out battle to be declared against terrorists and their backers, especially those who diverted monies intended to fight insurgency.

The ASUU had been on a nationwide industrial action since February 14 over the lack of implementation of agreements on the part of the Federal Government which had led to the crippling of academic activities in public tertiary institutions.

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