The crisis rocking the Osun State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) took another dimension, as the national secretariat of the union disowned the factional Chairman, Mr. Francis Adetunji, who has been parading himself as the recognised chairman of the union.
The union also condemned the strike embarked upon by workers in the state, arguing that the directive to commence the strike did not emanate from the recognised leaders of the union in the state and did not have the backing of the national secretariat of the union.
Its National Secretary General, Musa Lawal, who was on a solidarity visit to the state, said the tenure of Adetunji ended a year ago and had thus seized to be the chairman of TUC in the state.
He queried the rationale for the strike embarked upon by workers in the employ of the state government, noting that the national secretariat of the union was not aware of the strike.
Addressing reporters at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre after a meeting between the leadership of the TUC and NUJ, Lawal expressed regrets on the action of some workers in the state who perpetrated violence during a protest embarked upon by a faction of the work force.
Lawal, who berated the attitude of some workers in the state, lamented that laws should not be taken into the hands of any individual and that protest by workers should be peaceful.
He, however, expressed confidence in the leadership of Akinyemi Olatunji, whom he described as the duly elected chairman of TUC in the state, saying, “There is only one TUC chairman in Osun State and he is Akinyemi Olatunji.”
Air traffic controllers across the country Thursday Morning embarked on a six hours warning strike to draw the attention of the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA), to epileptic air navigation equipment as well as failure to address welfare issues raised last year.
The warning strike according to sources is a prelude to total industrial action scheduled to begin on Monday April 20, 2015.
Investigations revealed that flights are not disrupted at airports nationwide because the management of NAMA has put in place a contingency plan to mitigate any effects of the warning strike.
Part of the contingency plan, is the use of Nigerian Air Force personnel as traffic controllers at airports nationwide.
An official of NAMA said the management has commenced discussions with members of the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers (NATCA), on how to resolve the issues affecting their welfare and working equipment.
The official said the managing director of NAMA, Engineer Ibrahim Abdulsalam is already in Abuja to meet relevant ministry officials on how to resolve the impending industrial action by air traffic controllers.
The official said by Friday, the matter would have been resolved amicably between NAMA and the striking air traffic controllers.
Last year at its annual general meeting in Kano, members of NATCA in a communiqué complained of epileptic air navigation equipment at airports nationwide, even as they complained about intolerable working conditions.
In statement Thursday, NATCA speaking through its national president, Comrade Victor Eyaru said:” It is against the background of no action plan and political will to implement the agreements earlier reached with our association and others that has necessitated this corresponding action by air traffic controllers in Nigeria.
Today’s action will last six hours only as a warning sign but in preparation for a major and total industrial action which shall commence on Monday April 20, 2015, if relevant government bodies continue to threat air traffic controllers issues with utmost levy or neglect.
Tempers are high, but industrial peace and harmony must be the concern of everybody.”
Last year, air traffic controllers cited incessant failure of air navigation equipment at airports nationwide as part of the reasons why the association is embarking on strike.
The association also complained about epileptic and alarming failure of air navigation equipment, which has increased the work load of both air traffic controllers and pilots.
A statement signed and issued by Comrade Victor Egaru and Olawode Banji, President and General Secretary respectively, said it is disheartening that in the last two months that the CNS/ATM equipment has been epileptic and alarming, thereby increasing the workloads of both ATCs and Pilots.
“Presently, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) serving the Lagos Runway 18R has been unserviceable for close to three months while the one serving the Second Runway (18L) have been epileptic for more than one month.
“The distance measuring equipment on located with the VOR in Lagos has been out of service for a long time as well. Equipment in many airports including communication facilities suffer that same fate.”
THE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) has threatened to go on strike if the National Assembly (NASS) fails to pass the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB) into law.
President of the union, Comrade Igwe Achese, made this known during a briefing tagged: “What is the future of oil and gas sector?”
According to him, we will not use the word ‘strike’ to scare Nigerians, but we will withdraw our services across the country if the Seventh Assembly fails to pass the PIB.
Igwe said the bill must be passed by the NASS to ensure transparency in the oil and gas business.
“We are not joking with this issue and I hope strongly that the assembly will do the needful,” he said.
The NUPENG chief also lamented the vandalism of pipelines, calling on the government to provide adequate protection for them.
“For refineries in Kaduna to function properly, there is the need to secure them and others throughout the country,” he added.
Part of their demands include the rehabilitation of refineries to reduce massive importation of petroleum products, tackling the problem of outsourcing of workers in the oil and gas sector, road rehabilitation, security, inauguration of the PPRA board, among others.
The labour leader said the divestment of oil must be stopped and that the government must bring in new policies to sustain the sector.
On the scarcity of fuel in Abuja, Achese emphasised that NUPENG was not on strike and despite the insecurity in the country, they still ensured the distribution of the product across the country.
“The question of no fuel should be directed to the NNPC and others because we are committed to our jobs,” he said.
The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Anambra state has waded into the crisis rocking Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Anambra state government which has led to four month industrial strike by the body.
NBA has demanded from the state government of Chief Willie Obiano to as a matter of urgency, release the capital and overhead costs for the first ended quarter of the year to JUSUN.
Other decisions taken by the state branches of NBA in the state led by Chukwudi Obieze, included that an implementation committee be set up to see the implementation of the rest of the agreements reached.
Briefing reporters Wednesday in Onitsha after the meeting, Obieze said the committee should be headed by the NBA with representatives of the state government, JUSUN officials as members.
Also, other points agreed upon at the meeting were that the state government should release the monies to the judiciary and all its other arms would reflect the drop in the state consolidated revenue.
“That the state will commence release of the capital and overhead costs, while the actual salary cost will be released until the judiciary sets up an E-payment platform.
“The judiciary to notify the state, when E-Payment platform will be ready and that all sums in the judiciary sub-head already commenced, to remain with the state.”
Based on the agreed terms, NBA therefore called on the JUSUN to call off its strike with immediate effect, while the state government had also been called upon not to renege on the agreed terms.
But failure by the state government to stick to the terms, NBA said it would take drastic measures in the state which the chairman of chairmen failed to disclose.
NBA said it was concerned with the lingering crisis that had crippled all the courts in the state, which had lasted for about four months in Anambra.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and its affiliate, the Lagos State Medical Guild, Wednesday suspended their indefinite strike.
According to the secretary, NMA Lagos State chapter, Dr Babajide Saheed, the decision was reached at a joint meeting between the NMA and the Medical Guild.
Saheed said work resumes Thursday at 8am, urging doctors to go back to their duty posts.
“The strike is hereby suspended. Full services resume by 8.00am tomorrow,” he said.
He said a committee has been set up to ensure the implementation of the promises made by the state government.
The issue, he said, will be reviewed two weeks after the governorship elections.
Saheed said doctors’ focus is centered on the patients, adding that they are committed to offering them the best care.
It would be recalled that the Medical Guild embarked on an indefinite strike on March 16 to demand for three days salary in April and May 2012 and August and September, last year.
The NMA joined the Medical Guild on indefinite strike on Monday as a form of solidarity.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Kogi State University (KSU) has begun an indefinite strike, following an alleged delay in paying its members’ allowance as contained in the 2009 agreement between its national body and the Federal Government. MOHAMMED YABAGI (300-Level Mass Communication) reports.
When should workers go on strike to press home their demands? This is the question begging for answer.
Each time the Kogi State University (KSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) goes on strike, Anyigba, a sprawling Igala community, becomes a ghost town; commercial activities are paralysed because the university makes the town tick.
The ASUU strike is over the non-implementation of earned academic allowances as contained in the 2009 agreement between its national leadership and the Federal Government.
ASUU chairman Dr Abdullahi Musa Yusuf, confirmed that lecturers were on strike over the allowance, noting that the amount owed them is over N1 billion.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Hassan Isah, refuted the claim, saying the inability to implement the agreement was not the management’s or the government’s fault, but ASUU’s.
He said the computed earned academic allowances submitted to the management and forwarded to the government, was done last November. The management, Prof Isah said, forwarded the document to the government in January after it confirmed its accuracy.
The VC said the institution was one of the first to implement the 2009 agreement after it was signed, appealing to the lecturers to go back to the negotiating table with the government rather than embarking on a strike.
•Prof Yusuf showing documents to back ASUU’s claims
But, Dr Yusuf said the strike became imperative after the government allegedly reneged on its promise to pay the allowance.
He said: “We have made efforts to dialogue with government on this matter but we are getting cold shoulders from them. Those who held talks with us on behalf of government did not seem to take us serious. As I always say, strike is always our last resort. In as much as we are humans, we are also parents who would not be happy to see our children sit at home. But our hands are tied.”
Prof Isah said the government is committed to resolving the issue in the shortest time. “I appeal to the ASUU members to evaluate the cost of the strike. Management has not been resting on its oars in ensuring that the issue is addressed harmoniously. They should consider that Governor Idris Wada is an education-friendly governor. He just got the computed document and he would implement the agreement,” the VC said.
ASUU also claimed that its members were overtaxed between November 2011 and September 2012, to the tune of N104,934,709.99. In a letter with reference number KGS/BIR/PIT/VOL.I/317, ASUU wrote the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue, seeking a refund.
But in a reply, the Internal Revenue Board said: “After careful study of your request, we discovered that, contrary to your claims, staff of Kogi State University were never over-taxed, particularly during the period of November 2011 to September, 2012 as claimed in your letter.
“Kogi State, during the period, including your counterparts in the state civil service were made to pay 2.5 per cent of their gross salary as tax, whereas, you (the lecturers) were paying tax based on the concession earlier granted (waiver of Peculiar Allowances). This did not translate to being over-taxed.”
The strike is biting residents of Anyigba hard. They are appealing to the lecturers to return to work.
A resident said: “Without the university, our commercial activities crumble. In fact, commercial activities suffer whenever the school is on strike or students go on vacation. Since this action is internal, we appeal to the lecturers to use other means to push their demands.”
•Isah speaking to our reporter
Mohammed Isah, the vice chairman of the university’s Okada Riders Association, said their business has been affected. He said: “Anyigba is a university town and our businesses here largely depend on students’ patronage. Without them, commercial activities are paralysed. We urge the interested parties to reach an agreement and call off the strike.”
Yusuf Mustafa, a business man, bemoaned the action, saying there had been no patronage for his trade since the strike started.
He said: “The effect of the strike cannot really be described in words. If I want to describe it, I can say that it is devastating. Our business has stagnated and we don’t know what to do about it. This strike is affecting us seriously.”
A recharge card vendor, Kenny Ayinde, said she used to sell more than 14 packs of cards of different networks when the school is in session. This is no longer the case. She hardly sells four packs of cards daily now.
“Business is no longer moving. You can see that some of our colleagues have also closed shops (points at some lock-up shops). We hope we won’t suffer hunger before the strike is suspended.”
There were skeletal services yesterday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Gbagada General Hospital and Igando General Hospital, Igando, among others as striking doctors under the aegis of Medical Guild continued their indefinite strike.
The association said the strike will end when the Lagos State government accedes to its demand and pay April and May 2012 salaries as well as August and September, last year.
Its chairman, Dr Biyi Kufo, said doctors should be paid because they must obey the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), which declared the strike for which they are being owed.
The government, he said, is playing lip service to the health of the people.
He said doctors will remain resolute, until the salaries are paid.
“What the government is doing is double standard and we will resist it,” Kufo said.
But the government said the doctors are making unlawful demands.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Lateef Ibirogba, said: “It has come to the attention of the government that some doctors under the aegis of Medical Guild have commenced yet another strike action.
“It is pertinent to stress for public information that the said strike is an illegal action. On the previous occasion, the doctors went on what they called a “sympathy strike” at the request of the NMA, which then had a dispute with the Federal Government.
“They had no trade dispute with the state government (their employer).
“It is also instructive to note that doctors in private employment, who are also members of the NMA, did not join the so-called “sympathy strike”.
“It is a fact that those health workers who did not work during the period were not paid.
“This “no work no pay rule” is not just a policy of the government as alleged.
“It is in line with international employment practices and the Trade Disputes Act, a federal legislation, which is binding on all authorities and persons in Nigeria.
“Also, the allegation that the governor or his representatives refused to meet with the doctors over this dispute is false.
“Governor Babatunde Fashola met with their leadership and that had been followed by several meetings with the commissioners for health, special duties and other state officials.”
Patients’ care was hampered Monday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Gbagada General Hospital, and Igando General Hospital, Igando, among others as striking doctors under the umbrella of Medical Guild continue their indefinite strike in the state.
The association vowed to continue the strike until the government accede to their demand and pay their salaries for April and May, 2012 as well as August and September, last year.
Its chairman Dr. Biyi Kufo said doctors should be paid because they must obey the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), who declared the strike for which they are being owed.
Besides, we did not also receive salary for August and September last year for same reason.
The government, he said, is playing lip service about the health of the people.
He said doctors will remain resolute until the salaries are paid.
“What the government is doing is double standards and we will resist it,” he said.
Kufo berated the government for compiling names of doctors who complied with the strike directives.
He said every worker has a right to say no to injustice and poor welfare.
The Lagos State Medical Guild chair alleged that the government was against the welfare of medical doctors, adding that the state refused to heed the call of well-meaning people to resolve the pay dispute.
The Osun State Council of Trade Union Congress (TUC), has thrown its weight behind the proposed strike by its affiliate, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Osun Branch and the ongoing strike action by the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Osogbo.
Its Chairman, Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji, called on the public, particularly the media to disregard a contrary statement made by former Chairman of the Council, Oladele Francis Adetunji, he purportedly disassociating the Council from the said strike.
He said in accordance with the TUC’s Constitution Adetunji ceased to be the Chairman of TUC Osun State Council consequent upon the expiration of his tenure and the subsequent election and inauguration of the present Executive Committee on March 6, last year, even though he has refused to come to terms with the transition that is sure to come.
Adetunji, according to Comrade Olatunji, was not representing anybody but himself and his paymasters in the state, who are using him to undermine the legitimate interests of the working class. “Naturally his anti-union posture has rightfully caused him to be ostracised by all TUC members in the state and also earned him an indefinite suspension from the Congress by a resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC).
“While we do not begrudge Adetunji on his solitary walk, we remind him and his ill-advised sponsors that he, who has no one following him, cannot validly call himself a leader. He is merely a man taking a stroll. Perhaps he will learn the lessons of the prodigal son and retrace his steps someday,” Olatunji said.
NIGERIA Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Union of Local Government (NULGE) yesterday said their members would not participate in the three-day warning strike by a section of the state’s workforce.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), last Friday, directed all civil servants to stay off work from March 10, until their four-month pension deductions are remitted to the appropriate fund managers.
Academic Staff Union of Secondary School (ASUSS) obeyed the directive and went on strike.
But, addressing reporters at the NUT state secretariat, Abeokuta, yesterday, state NUT Chairman Dare Ilekoya said members would not take part in the strike, because “NUT is not a member of the JPSNC”.
According to him, the strike did not concern primary and secondary school teachers.
Also, Head of Service Mrs. Modupe Adekunle said some workers reported to for duties without harassment or intimidation, adding that the strike was not fully observed.
She said: “About three times we met with them. The government had assured them it would pay the deductions.
‘’In fact, they wanted government to pay the deductions and leave the salary, but, the net salary is much higher and the governor believes that, that takes precedent.
“It is the situation the government has found itself. The state is among the very few in the country that is not owing workers’ salaries.”
