The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Strike

  • Workers begin warning strike over unpaid salaries

    Workers in the Oyo State Public Service on Wednesday began a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries and withdrawal of promotion by the state government.

    The state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Waheed Olojede, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the workers were also protesting some other conditions.

    Olojede said that the state Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress, had been negotiating with the state government over the issues for the past three weeks.

    He said that one of the issues was `technical’ withdrawal of workers’ promotion earlier approved by the state Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, which the beneficiaries enjoyed for few months.

    “The promotion was approved by the governor in February 2018, which implementation commenced in March 2018, and a good number of workers started enjoying it.

    “To our surprise, by September 2018, the promotion was technically withdrawn by the Oyo State Government, and this led to setting up of a committee to meet the government to explain the reason.

    “Other issues are outstanding salaries of workers in local governments and primary schools. They are yet to collect their December 2018 salaries which others have collected.

    Read Also: Bauchi projects N15bln IGR for 2019

    “In some local governments, workers are owed salaries of three to five months; this is why we said government must do the necessary things to ensure that workers are paid as and when due,’’ Olojede said.

    The unionist told NAN that it was necessary for the government to address all the issues.

    According to him, a meeting between the committee and the government on Tuesday was inconclusive.

    “This led to the declaration of the three-day warning strike. We had earlier notified the government of warning strike.’’

    The NLC chairman added that there were crisis in state-owned tertiary institutions.

    He said that the institutions were facing one problem or the other and owed salaries and allowances, regretting that the situation had been leading to industrial unrest in the institutions.

  • Strike: ASUU communicate’s decision on Fed Govt’s offer today

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will today communicate its decision on the offers made to it by the Federal Government, its National President Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi said yesterday.

    The union had urged the government to show concrete evidence of commitment to agreements on meeting its demands on its on-going strike.

    Ogunyemi said that contrary to some media reports, the union did not reject the government offer neither has it make fresh demands.

    Labour & Employment Minister Chris Ngige, after meeting with the union on January 4, said the government was about resolving the dispute with the lecturers who embarked on strike on November 5, last year.

    Dr. Ngige said the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant- General of the Federation had provided evidence that N15.4 billion for the payment of salary shortfall in public universities.

    He also noted that there was evidence that Mr President had approved N20 billion to offset the outstanding arrears of the 2009 and 2012, audit verified earnings in the university system.

    The minister, however, said the fund was being worked on and would be released to ASUU as soon as the process was complete, among other demands of the union.

    Read also: Fed Govt arraigns Doyin Okupe over alleged N702m fraud

    The ASUU president said: “We have been reviewing the offer made by the government and we have concluded our consultations with our members.

    “We have concluded our consultations and hopefully by tomorrow we are going to transmit the feedback from our members to the Minister of Labour and Employment.

    “What we said was that we are not insisting on having the total package. We are saying if government could give us one out of the five tranches on the revitalisation fund it will be a kind of bending backward in the interest of the students and national interest.

    “So, rather than insisting that government should release a total of one trillion naira which we know is not feasible, government can, at least, give one tranche that can be spread over four quarters, starting with the first quarter now.

    “This is the shift that the media are misinterpreting to mean a fresh demand. There is no fresh demand on our list whether you are talking of revitalisation or earned academic allowance.”

    On the issue of earned academic allowances, he said government had promised to release N20 billion and that the balance would be spread over four instalments but without stating timelines.

    Ogunyemi said members of the union were insisting on having timelines for the payments.

    He said: “Our members are also saying government had also promised to mainstream and that promise is not new, it was a promise of 2017.

    “Our members have also noted that government had promised that the earned academic allowance will be paid within the mainstream budget which they also promised to do in 2018, yet they did not do it

    “Our members are saying if you are promising again in 2019, let us see the evidence, which is clear enough.”

    Ogunyemi also said that members of the union were demanding to see money of salary shortfall paid into their accounts although they had seen the evidence of approval on paper.

    He said that the members of the union were demanding for concrete evidence on all outstanding areas that involved payments.

    Ogunyemi said: “Our members are saying let us see concrete evidence that government has paid not that government will be promising that it  will do this and will do that.

    “We did that with the N20 billion in 2017, government promised to release N20 billion in two instalments for September and October, 2017, that never happened until we went on strike in 2018.

    “So, our members are saying, let’s go beyond writing anything on paper.

    “Like I said earlier, on the issue of revitalisation, our members are saying we should not stop at tokenism.”

  • NASU MINILS begins indefinite strike

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions ( NASU ) of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Kwara state said it has commenced indefinite industrial action.

    The union hinged its decision to embark on the strike on the insensitivity of the institute’s director general and other management staff.

    Reasons for the strike are issues bordering on withholding of 2017 and 2018 promotion, staff capacity building, staff cadre conversion, lack of tools and equipment to work with, staff welfare among others.

    In a statement branch chairperson and secretary, R.O Adebayo and Joel Afolayan said: “It is pertinent to note that all the issues in dispute have been on for almost two (2) years which have defied all internal dispute resolution mechanisms.

    “These issues were further reported to the union’s headquarters and subsequently dominated the discussion at the last research and projects trade group council meeting of the union held on November 21, 2018 in the Institute where the Director-General and some members of its management were present.

    Read Also: Kogi, labour disagree over unpaid salary

    “At the referred council meeting, a verbal twenty-one (21) day ultimatum was issued by the union’ headquarters to the DG to resolve all the lingering issues which at its expiration on December 13, 2018, another twenty-one (21) days ultimatum was issued in a letter dated 10th Dec., 2018 with reference number NASU/R/199/VOL.IV/170 effective from December 17, 2018 which eventually lapses midnight of yesterday 6th January, 2019.

    “The development above dovetailed into the imperativeness of the branch’s resolve to carry out the headquarters’ directive so as to salvage the welfare of our members and the future of the Institute.

    “Finally, in a strong term, the union (NASU, MINILS) should not be held responsible for the latent and manifest consequences of this action because we have done all within the extant rules to prevent it.

    However, the Director General and the management staff of the institute should be held responsible for it.”

  • Strike: Fed Govt pleads for more time

    As part of steps to avert a nationwide strike over the contentious new national minimum wage, the Federal Government will today meet with Labour representatives.

    Ahead of the meeting, Labour & Employment Chris Ngige has pleaded with workers’ leadership to be patient with the government.

    The development followed Tuesday’s announcement by Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba that workers should brace for an indefinite nationwide strike beginning from January 8.

    It was learnt that the government plans to inform NLC on the steps so far taken on the Executive Bill for the enactment of N30, 000 as the New National Minimum Wage.

    A source at the Ministry of Labour, who spoke in confidence, said:  ”The truth is that the government is not delaying the Executive Bill on the new minimum wage, it is being worked on by the appropriate ministry.

    “The bill itself is an amendment to the existing Act and it has to take cognizance of Pension Reform Act 2005, the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund Act and other laws.

    “So, it requires being painstaking to avoid any ambiguity in view of the fact that the bill will have effect on some establishments too.

    “The Friday meeting will afford the government the opportunity to brief the NLC on concrete steps taken and the timeline that the bill will be ready.

    “So far, since the submission of the report of the tripartite committee, relevant ministries and agencies have been working on the executive bill.”

    Confirming the scheduled government/labour parley, Dr. Ngige said: “The government team will meet with labour leaders on Friday (tomorrow). We are hopeful that we will be able to find common grounds. We have communicated the notice of meeting to the NLC.

    “My appeal to our labour leaders is for them to be patient. We will resolve all issues and it won’t degenerate to a nationwide strike. President Muhammadu Buhari places premium on the welfare of workers.

    “We are working on the Executive Bill, we only want to be through with it.”

    Wabba said the reluctance of the government on the new bill on minimum wage strained the relationship between the government and the Labour.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that the Federal Government is yet to transmit to the National Assembly an executive bill for the enactment of N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage.

    ”Government’s dilly-dallying on the issue has strained Government-Labour relations with a potential for a major national strike which could just be days away.

    “I want to appeal to the government to do the needful by urgently transmitting the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    “We also would like to use this same opportunity to urge workers to fully mobilise for a prolonged national strike and enforce their rights.”

  • BRT drivers suspend strike

    Striking Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle drivers yesterday called off their action, bringing relief to commuters around Ikorodu, Lagos.

    In an SMS, Mr Fola Tinubu, Managing Director of  Primero Transport Services Ltd  (PTSL), sole operator of the BRT franchise, said the drivers suspended the strike on Monday afternoon.

    “Yes, they returned to work on Monday afternoon,” Tinubu replied to enquiries.

    The drivers on Monday stopped work, accusing the management of owing them December salary.

    Read also: Oil output hits 2.09m barrels

    They said they would not call off the strike until the company paid their bonuses and December salary.

    Tinubu said the company was not owing any worker.

    He said the company paid everybody December salary, while those who qualified were paid November bonuses.

    Tinubu explained that bonuses were paid to drivers who met the requirements at the middle of every month.

    A commuter, Mr. Andrew Olanuga, said the strike caught many unawares.

    He said commuters paid more on the yellow buses, which operated while the strike lasted.

  • Strike: NANS wants ASUU to return to negotiation table with FG

    The National Associa-tion of Nigerian Students (NANS) wants the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to go back to negotiations with the federal government.

    The association reacting yesterday to a statement by ASUU threatening not to honour any further invitation for a meeting with the federal government said negotiation is desirable.

    “There is need for ASUU to continue its negotiations with the federal government to find a common ground to resolve issues that led to the union’s ongoing strike,” NANS National Public Relations Officer, Mr Bestman Okereafor, said in a statement in Enugu.

    He added: “We consider this decision as devilish and not in the best interest of Nigerian students. We wonder how the lingering disputes will be resolved if meetings are boycotted.

    “We are calling on the leadership of ASUU to reverse its decision and consider returning to the negotiation table.”

    The students’ umbrella body urged the lecturers to work towards resolving the dispute and suspend the strike before Jan. 1, 2019 in the interest of Nigerian students.

  • Strike no threat to 2019 elections, says ASUU president

    ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) National President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi has said the union’s strike will continue until the Federal Government pays the salary shortfall and earned allowances of his members.

    He also insisted on payment of revitalisation fund of N1.1 trillion for upgrade of public universities.

    Ogunyemi said contrary to the claims by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the union’s strike would not disrupt the 2019 elections.

    He called for replacement of Dr. Wale Babalakin as head of the Renegotiation Committee of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.

    Speaking at a news conference at the UNILAG ASUU Secretariat yesterday, Ogunyemi said the issues that led to the strike remained unresolved because the government was insincere.

    He said: “Our expectation from a very responsive and sincere government is that, by now, all outstanding issues would have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties. Unfortunately, government is yet to show sincerity in addressing the problem.

    “Compatriots of the press and the general public should please note that, as at today, there are no concrete commitments on the part of government to warrant considering the suspension of the strike; which we did all that was possible to avoid.

    “The purported release of N20 billion due for release in September/October 2017, which was widely publicised by government has not been confirmed to have been received in any public university. In addition, government has not made any commitment on the sourcing and payment of the outstanding five tranches for off-setting the balance of N1.1 trillion Needs Assessment Intervention Fund for the revitalisation of public universities; despite noting some possible sources suggested by a Joint Committee of FGN and ASUU.”

    Regarding the strike affecting the upcoming elections, Ogunyemi said the claim was unfounded.

    “If anybody accuses us of aborting election, it is unfounded. There is no basis for it. Our strike has nothing to do with election; we have never talked about aborting election. We do not want to create problem for this country. But let government not create problem for itself,” he said.

    However, Ogunyemi said the union is to meet with the INEC Chairman on January 4, 2019, in view of the role some of its members play as Returning Officers.

    “INEC Chairman has called us; they want to meet us; precisely January 4. When we listen to them, we will know what to advise our members to do,” he said.

    On the union’s disagreement with Babalakin, Ogunyemi accused him of being fixated on hiking tuition fees.

    “There are unresolved issues about the leader of government team, Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN. We have strong reasons to believe that the continuation of Dr. Babalakin as the head of the negotiation with ASUU would not yield good fruits.  He is ideologically fixated on tuition fees and does not agree that education is a public good. ASUU strongly objects to this. Our experience with Dr. Babalakin for over 14 months tells us that Dr. Babalakin cannot relate objectively to any of the issues in our demands at the negotiation table. We, therefore, once more, call on government to replace Dr. Wale Babalakin as the chairman of the Renegotiation Committee of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement,” he said.

    To speedily address the union’s demands, Ogunyemi said the government should add the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) to the 2019 budget.

    “They have to pay the outstanding balance of shortfall from salaries of our members. They have to address the EAA – the balance is now before them – at least up to 2016.  The shortest way to prevent it happening again is to mainstream it to the 2019 budget.  We have discussed that. We have a proposal on how to do that. If they mainstream and engage our members and say, ‘we owe you this X amount; but we can only pay this’; and our members consider it reasonable, we can think of what to do.

    “Regarding the revitalisation fund, they said they released N20 billion. But N20 billion is a non-issue. There are five tranches outstanding since 2013. If they can release two tranches or three, we can be more confident to meet our members,” he said.

  • Strike can’t stop NASS from sitting – Gbajabiamila

    The Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos) has said that the ongoing strike by members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) will not stop the Legislature from sitting.

    Gbajabiamila said in an interview with journalists on Tuesday, said that shutting down the National Assembly was tantamount to shutting down the nation.

    He said that the house would sit to pass a resolution to allow President Muhammadu Buhari to present the 2019 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

    “Everybody has the right to strike, you cannot take that away from anybody, it is a constitutional right, it is almost a fundamental human right for you to down your tools but that’s where it ends.

    “You down your tools but you cannot stop lawmakers from doing their work, that is totally out of the purview of a strike.

    “In fact, it is in our laws, the Legislative Privilege Act that nobody can stop a legislator from doing his work and it attracts certain punishment,” he said.

    The leader said that the lawmakers would protect the rights of the striking workers and that the right of lawmakers to sit must also be protected.

    According to Gbajabiamila, when you shut down the National Assembly, you shut down the entire country.

    Read Also: NASS Leadership directs Police, SSS to secure complex for pleanry

    Gbajabiamila explained that the monies being demanded by the striking workers had nothing to do with the legislators at the National Assembly.

    According to him, the Senate, the House of Representatives and the management have a separate account and they operate differently.

    The leader said that the lawmakers were only intervening to ensure peace between the workers and the management of the assembly.

    He said when the National Assembly cannot perform its constitutional functions and the budget cannot be laid before the house, that will amount to shutting down the country and that nobody would sit and watch that to happen.

    Gbajabiamila said that the leadership of the National Assembly met yesterday and the matter was being taken care off and that the results were already being seen.

    NAN reports that the 4-day warning strike action by members of PASAN has entered day two.

  • NASS Leadership directs Police, SSS to secure complex for plenary

    …as strike enters day two

     

    The leadership of the National Assembly ( NASS ) has said the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) should be held responsible if President Buhari is not allowed to present the 2019 Appropriation Budget schelded for Wednesday due to the four-day industrial action by the National Assembly workers.

    The workers have however vowed to continue with the warning strike as the main gate to the National Assembly remained partially locked.

    Though water and power supplies have been restored, workers are having difficulty gaining access to the complex.

    Most motorists were observed to be using the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) gate to access the complex.

    But DSS operatives at the SGF gate have however refused to allow anyone with National Assembly identity card through their gate.

    In a statement on Monday night, after a meeting with the management of the National Assembly led by the Clerk, Muhammadu Sani-Omolori, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara said the management has made sufficient efforts to address rue grievance of the striking workers.

    The meeting, conveyed at the instance of Saraki and Dogara was to assess the situation and efforts made so far by the management to address the grievances of the striking staff.

    The political leadership, as such, directed the security agencies to secure the National Assembly for legislators to carry out their duties from this morning.

    Read Also: Senate approves names of nominees for NASS commission

    The statement signed by Omolori reads, “The leadership of the National Assembly called the meeting because they know that almost all the issues raised by the striking workers were being addressed by the management.

    “And after listening to the CNA, it was unanimously agreed that the management had made sufficient plans and efforts to address all the grievances of the workers and ensure their happiness.

    “We were sure that the issues raised by the workers have been well attended to and that it is necessary for the business of the National Assembly to continue without any disturbance.

    “Both chambers must hold their normal plenary tomorrow morning to prepare the ground for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 to present the budget proposal to the joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    “We have therefore mandated the security agencies to perform their duty of maintaining law and order in the National Assembly Complex and its surrounding.

    “They must enforce the laws which allow the striking workers to down tools if they choose to and also the ones which restrain them from disturbing those who choose to work or stop parliamentarians from entering the chambers or their offices to do the work for which they were elected.

    “Senators and members of the House of Representatives, their aides, other workers and people who have legitimate business within the National Assembly Complex are therefore advised to come in as they will be free to operate without any hinderance and molestation.

    “If President Buhari is unable to present the budget proposal on Wednesday as scheduled Nigerians should hold the security agencies responsible for failing in the performance of their duties.”

  • NASS: Workers cut off water, power supply

    …As banks, telcos, others close shop

    All activities at the National Assembly ( NASS ) have been paralysed as power supply to the complex has been cut off by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).

    However supply to the Account Section of the Annex was spared with the workers allowed to do their work of preparing the next salary for the workers.

    Water supply to the complex was also stopped.

    Read Also: Workers shut down National Assembly

    At about 10am, the union leaders forced workers on duty at the Engineering Department to cut off power supply to the complex.

    Not quite 30 minutes later, all the banks, telecommucation offices, resturants, other supporting staff, including the Radio Nigeria studio within the complex closed down and their workers departed and seen treking the long way back to the car park wearing long faces.

    Meanwhile, a number of members that sneaked into White were asked to leave in their own interest.