By Abiola Olawale
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has expressed its total support to the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), over their demands for the payment of withheld salaries.
This is as Labour gave its nod for the ongoing seven-day strike of the unions to press home their demands for the payment of their withheld salaries.
The New Diplomat reports that SSANU, NASU last week had directed their members to withdraw their services for seven days. Checks by the New Diplomat revealed that activities across several universities in the country have been grounded.
Access in and out of many universities and inter-university centres across the country on Monday was difficult for many workers, students, and residents as protesting members blocked entrances, obstructing human and vehicular movements.
However, although the strike of SSANU and NASU has grounded the activities of the universities across the country, Comrade Joe Ajaero, NLC President urged the Federal Government to pay the four months outstanding salaries to avoid drift in the academic sector.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, the NLC President said at a time when confidence was being restored to the public universities, the worst thing the government could do is to engineer another strike.
Mr Ajaero said: “There has been no credible reason or explanation for withholding those salaries in the first place.
“We recall this singular act plunged the members into indescribable hardship. Much worse, it defies logic to try to subject members of these unions to discriminatory treatment.
“By doing so, the government is courting avoidable industrial disputes,” he added.
The NLC President stressed that the effects of the strike on the parties would be unacceptably high, especially for students and parents.
He, therefore, urged the government to expeditiously pay up the outstanding salaries
“We advise the government not to take for granted the maturity of these unions,” he said.
