Tag: strike

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HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

NLC begins 5-day warning strike in Kaduna

Labour unions began a five-day warning strike in Kaduna State on Monday.

NLC National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said at the flag-off of the action that it would run its full course unless the state government attended to the workers grievances.

He said the national leadership of the NLC had been informed that the grievances included the sacking of 7,000 workers from local governments in the state.

“We are also aware that in the Primary Health Care Development Agency, 1,700 workers were sacked.

“All these are happening in the face of exorbitant increment in tuition fees , high cost of living and other uncalled for actions in ministries and agencies in the state,’’ he said.

“Fuel stations, hospitals, banks, the railway, and airport, among others have been closed because we must take our destiny in our hands if the situation in Kaduna State and in Nigeria at large cannot change.

“We cannot accept the bitter pills; we are here in Kaduna today because the labour law in Nigeria says before you can declare redundancy, labour shall be consulted and we were never consulted.

`The governor said he has consulted the National Union of Local Government Employees, but the union is here with us; we want to tell the world that a lot of information from government is false.

“We have the right to protect peacefully without being intimidated or harassed.

“The governor should go after criminals, especially kidnappers and bandits terrorising the state and not workers who are earning their legitimate wages,’’ Wabba added.

A commissioner in Kaduna State who featured on a national television programme on Monday said the figure of sacked workers the NLC was quoting was incorrect.

The commissioner also said majority of retrenched workers did not have requisite qualifications to hold office and were given ample notice to upgrade their qualifications.

He said also that many of them had been trained for other jobs preparatory to their disengagement from public service.

Part of the protest was a planned march by leaders and unionists from the NLC’s office, through the streets of Kaduna to the state’s House of Assembly.

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NEWS & LIFE

Strike: KDSG won’t succumb to blackmail

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government (KDSG), has reacted to the notice of strike issued by labour unions, saying it would not succumb to blackmail.

The Organised Labour had issued notice of five days warning strike beginning from Sunday.

The strike is over alleged refusal of the state government to follow laid down rules in the recent sack of some civil servants.

The government, however, gave the warning at a press conference on Saturday in Kaduna, addressed by the state Head of Service, Bariatu Muhammed, and the Commissioner, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Jafar Sani.

It dismissed the threat by labour unions to shut down critical services as a futile gesture, warning that it would not condone any disruption of essential services in the state as a result of the strike.

The government also said that the warrant of arrest it issued in 2017 of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba still subsists, over alleged vandalism of government facilities.

According to the government, the trade unions planned to use hoodlums during the strike to disrupt the peace of the state and had notified security agencies to take action.

“As is appropriate, the security agencies have been notified of the plans of some trade unionists to recruit hoodlums, including from other states, to create a destructive spectacle and further their self-serving narrative about public service jobs and insecurity.”

The government insisted that the sack of civil servants was necessitated by dwindling revenues.

“Thus, it is not sustainable to persist in spending 84% to 96% of its FAAC receipts on salaries and personnel costs as has been the experience of the state since October 2020.

“This government was not elected to devote most public funds to paying government workers and treat that as its defining governance mission, to the detriment of developing the state and its people.

The government explained that the rightsizing of the public service would affect political appointees and civil servants.

“The necessary verification of credentials for full implementation of this painful but necessary decision is still being done.

“It has not determined the total number of officers that might be affected by the decision. Neither has it stopped paying the minimum wage, despite the prompting of the denizens of sentiment who have urged it to suspend payment and thereby violate the national Minimum Wage Act.

“The Kaduna State Government prefers to take lawful and rational steps that are within its powers to rightsize its personnel and thereby reduce its wage bill.”

It stressed that it would not, therefore, succumb to the “veritable campaign of lies and misrepresentation” by the trade unions on the matter.

The state government claimed that it “has been assured by some trade unions that they will not be part of the planned sabotage of social and economic life.”

According to the government, the strike was to sabotage the state and called on residents of to resist it and do their utmost to protect public facilities.

It noted that the Trade Union Act prohibits strike action by workers engaged in the provision of essential services.

“The law also forbids subjecting “any other person to any kind of constraint or restriction of his personal freedom in the course of persuasion” for strike action”, it added.

The government reiterated that the ban on public processions was still in force in the state, and vowed to protect its facilities and the right of its staff to access and work in their offices.

“It is unlawful for anyone to try to deny them access or exit. Government offices are not the property of any trade unionist and none of them should entertain thoughts of locking up or vandalizing any facility.”

The government disclosed some of its workers-friendly policies to include payment of the new minimum wage and training for civil servants.

“Kaduna is also one of the states that is most faithful in implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme, effective from 1st January 2017”.

“The state has also courageously attempted to settle the N14 billion it inherited as arrears of death benefit and gratuity from 2010, commencing payments with those who had exited service the longest.

“Since 2015, KDSG has paid over N13 billion in death benefits and gratuity.”

It added that apart from teachers and health workers, the government has continued to recruit required professionals for its agencies.

“This government has demonstrated in action, its commitment to the welfare of its workers, but it insists that this is sustainable only in the context of the general welfare of residents of the state that the government itself is mandated to serve”.

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NEWS & LIFE

Kaduna NLC to begin 5-day warning strike May 16

Kaduna NLC to begin 5-day warning strike May 16
NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Kaduna State Council says it will ground government activities from May 16 as a warning strike over the sack of civil servant by the state government.

This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the council, Mr Ayuba Suleiman; and the Secretary, Comrade Christiana Bawa on Monday in Kaduna.

“NLC Kaduna council has resolved to ground all activities for five days as proposed by the National Headquarters to serve as a warning strike for the sacking of over 4000 workers in the state.

“Total withdrawal of services will begin on Sunday, May 16, by 12:00a.m.” it stated.

The union directed all civil servants in the state to remain at home for five days after which further directives would be given.

The council said the decision was reached in an emergency meeting held in Kaduna with the delegation from the national headquarters of congress.

It lamented that due process was not followed in the recent disengagement of over 4000 workers from the Local Government Service, State Universal Basic Education Board and Primary Health Care Agency.

“The proposed withdrawal of services and the protest will be monitored by the National President and the General Secretaries of all the unions.

“The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Waba, will be in Kaduna state to ensure the enforcement,” it stated.

The council urged Civil Society Organisations, journalists, market women and men, commercial motorcycle riders and well meaning residents of the state to support the workers “at this trying time.”

It recalled that the Kaduna state government sacked over 30,000 workers in 2016 and up till date, their entitlements had not been paid.

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EDUCATION NEWS & LIFE

Activities resume at Ondo varsity as labour unions suspend strike

Ondo varsity postpones SSANU union election over strike
OAUSTECH

Activities, on Monday, resumed at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, following the suspension of five-week-old strike by the institution’s labour unions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unions had, in a communique issued on Sunday, announced the suspension of the industrial action, which had paralysed activities at the university.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the institution’s permanent site in Okitipupa on Monday, reports that non-teaching staffers were at their various dutyposts, while academic and commercial activities had also resumed.

Mr Temidayo Temola, Chairman, Joint Action Congress (JAC), the umbrella body of SSANU, NASU and NAAT, told NAN that all members had been directed to resume work, as the institution’s management had agreed to meet some of their demands.

He added the strike had been suspended, at least, for now, owing to the agreement reached between the university management and the unions, which had been documented.

“All our members have resumed work, as directed by executives of the unions.

“We decided to suspend the strike because of the agreement reached between management and the unions to meet some of our demands, which had been documented,” Temola said.

SSANU, NASU and NAAT had, on April 7, embarked on strike over alleged unpaid salaries and non-remittance of pensions by the institution’s management.

NAN also recalls that ASUU that joined the strike on April 7 had called off its own industrial action and resumed lectures on April 26, while the remaining unions continued their agitation.

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EDUCATION

Non-teaching unions suspend strike

FG appeals to judicial workers to suspend strike

The non-teaching staff unions of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, have suspended five weeks-old strike over non-payment of salaries and unremitted pension deduction.

The unions are: Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) under the umbrella of the Joint Action Congress (JAC) of the institution.

The suspension notice is contained in a communique jointly signed by Mr Temidayo Temola, Mr Peter Akindehinde and Mr Bobola Bamigbola for SSANU, NASU and NAAT respectively and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Okitipupa.

The unions’ executives thanked all members for their cooperation, doggedness and solidarity, saying the offer by the institution’s management was considered by Congress and there was no need to continue the industrial action.

The unions’ executives, therefore, urged their members to sheath their swords and resume work on Monday, May 10 as agreed by JAC.

“The leadership of JAC (SSANU, NASU and NAAT), OAUSTECH branch appreciates all members for their cooperation and doggedness, we also appreciate all stakeholders for their intervention with a view to preventing further industrial action

“This is to inform members that the agreement between the unions and the management have been documented and evidence of payment of seven months pension deductions arrears had also been laid before the union executives.

“In view of this, the strike embarked upon by the unions is hereby suspended until further notice and all members are to resume to their duty posts on Monday, May 10,’’ the communique stated.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the institution that joined the industrial action of the non-teaching unions on April 7, had called off its strike and resumed lectures on April 26 while the non-teaching staff continued their agitation.

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EDUCATION

ASUP vows to continue nationwide strike

ASUP
ASUP

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has vowed to continue its indefinite strike until the Federal Government meets its demands.

The ASUP National President, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, made the union’s position known on Friday at an emergency congress held at the Federal polytechnic, Auchi in Edo.

ASUP had on April 6 embarked on a nationwide strike.

Among the demands of the union are implementation of the ASUP/FG agreement of 2010, and payment of salaries and arrears of the new minimum wage in some state-owned polytechnics.

Others are implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report of 2014 and reconstitution of governing councils of polytechnics.

Ezeibe commended members of the union for complying with the strike directive, saying that the strike would continue until achievement of its aims.

“Our members should continue to believe in the union the way they have been doing, we have very supportive members as you can see; the strike is in full swing.

“Every polytechnic is observing the strike and compliance level is very high, we will continue to persevere, victory is around the corner,’’ he said.

He expressed satisfaction that the industrial action had begun to yield positive results.

“It is true that the government has started doing something.

“The one that has been done is the issue of governing councils that have been reconstituted and the visitation panels that have been set up.

“Offers have been made for the payment of arrears of minimum wage and the N15 billion infrastructure revitalisation fund; they are still at the level of offer because the funds have not been released.

“We want to see the funds released for the sector and we want to see some other items that require processes to be put in motion.

“If we are able to get to that point, I am sure our national executive committee will take a second look at the strike,’’ he said.

Ezeibe denied that N20 billion was collectively owed by 19 polytechnics staff members as tax liability.

According to him, such money has been deducted through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax.

He said that the union would resist any attempt to deduct same from staff salaries.

“The Office of the Accountant General alleged that we have tax liabilities to pay; that is to say that staff of the 19 polytechnics are owing collectively about N20 billion.

“You know this money – pay as you earn tax – it is deducted from staff and paid to state boards of internal revenue where they exist.

“We are not owing this money and therefore are going to resist any attempt to deduct any money from our salaries to go and satisfy such a bill,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of ASUP, Auchi Polytechnic Chapter, Mr Lawani Jimoh, thanked the national president for coming to the polytechnic to inform members of the level of progress regarding the strike.

“For us at Auchi Polytechnic, our members are committed to continuing the strike until there is a directive from the national body,’’ Jimoh said.

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EDUCATION HEADLINES

USUN, PASAN strike to end soon-FG

USUN, PASAN strike to end soon-FG
Ngige

The Federal Government has expressed optimism that the strike of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), would end soon.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, expressed this believe while addressing newsmen at the end of a conciliation meeting between the government negotiating team, and the two unions on Thursday in Abuja.

Ngige said government had made offers to the two unions, and their representatives would consult with their various National Executive Committees (NEC), and revert back.

The minister said a lot of work went into the government’s proposal to the two unions, which substantially addressed their demands for judicial and legislative autonomy.

“A lot of work went in. We have exchanged briefs with JUSUN and PASAN.

“They have their demands, which they had earlier submitted. The government has given counter offers and properly addressed the burning issue of financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary,” Ngige said.

He said that questions were asked and answered, while critical observations were made and explained, working on the proposal given by the government.

According to him, the meeting has been adjourned with a view to enable JUSUN and PASAN take back the government proposal to their members of their National Executive Committees.

“We expect them to work on the documents from tomorrow and if they are satisfied, they should inform us.

“And you know that when they are satisfied, the logical thing is to call-off the industrial action. So, we are to receive their views on the government offer by Tuesday morning,” he added.

Ngige, however, said over all, the discussions had been very fruitful, adding that they had moved from the initial position of ground zero, to ground 85.

He therefore, appealed to the striking workers to return to work to enable government meet the remaining part of their demands.

“We cannot do this when legislation is closed in various states. We cannot also operationalise them when the courts are closed and heads of courts are not allowed into the courts or their offices.

“We have made documentation and statistics for the state houses of assembly to make appropriate laws. So, we plead that you open the courts and state houses of assembly,” the minister appealed.

“Besides, we are menaced by bandits, terrorists, and arsonists, with the courts closed, the police cannot tackle insecurity, ” Ngige said.

Responding, the Vice Chairman of JUSUN Mr Emmanuel Abioye, and the National President of PASAN, Mohammed Usman, both promised to meet with their NEC, to study the situation and consider the offers before reverting back to the Minister of Labour.

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HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

Strike won’t be called off until demands on financial autonomy are met – JUSUN

More reactions trail JUSUN strike suspension
JUSUN

The Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) says the nationwide strike will not be called off until a concrete resolution is reached on financial autonomy

By tomorrow, Thursday, the strike will be a month.

JUSUN had began a nationwide strike on Tuesday, April 6, when the union directed all its members across the federation to shut down all courts after the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum earlier given over the failure of the government to implement the law.

The Deputy President of the workers’ union, Emmanuel Abioye, in a telephone interview with NAN, on Wednesday, stated that the governors must do the needful before the strike would be suspended.

“This strike has generated a lot of public interest. As a matter of fact, some other associations have shown interest.

“The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has shown interest, and there is no way we can do anything without working in synergy with the NBA.

JUSUN strike: NBA to engage relevant stakeholders
NBA

“The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has signified interested as well and there is nothing we can do now without a synergy with the NLC.

“So it is already in the public domain, even people are calling us to say that if we should suspend the strike without achieving tangible result, we have disappointed them, how much more our members.

“So without achieving our aim, if the promise that had been made by the governors failed, it will be unreasonable for us to go back.

“This demand is a provision of the law and democracy can only strive when there is rule of law. So everyone must follow the rule of law.

“People that are saddled with the responsibility must do the needful before we can suspend the strike,” Abioye said.

The union leader said though the governors, through their forum Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi, pledged that the demand would be implemented by this month, the workers would not believe until it was fulfilled.

“The development with the governor is not very clear except for the statement that was made by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.

“It is in the public domain that he said that they are going to begin the implementation of the financial autonomy for the judiciary by this month, May.

“We took that promise with a pinch of salt. Because the truth of the matter is that before now, we have been receiving promises which some have even tagged to be political statements.

“The reality is that since January 13, 2014, we got the judgment which ought to have been executed since that time, in addition to make clear the provision of the constitution that the autonomy should be given to the state judiciaries in line with Section 121 (3), Section 81 (3) and Section 162(9).

“So since that time up till now; we went on strike 2015, nothing was done. All these promises upon promises revealed to us that the governors are not ready to do anything.

“Except it is done, all these promises will be taken with a pinch of salt,” he restated.

Abioye, who called on all JUSUN members not to be weary as the strike continues, urged them to remain patient until the victory was achieved.

“We are working round the clock. As leaders in this struggle, we have sacrificed a lot of things.

“Our members should just hold on and endure the more because it takes endurance to achieve what we need to achieve; nothing comes easy, especially in Nigeria.

“Although the system ought to be allowed to work, unfortunately, we have found ourselves in this situation.

“We plead with them to exercise some patience. It is not our joy that people should stay at home without working. Very soon, by the grace of God, we shall sing a victory song,” he said.

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EDUCATION HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

Resident doctors willing to suspend May 7 planned strike

Strike: It has been series of unfulfilled promises - LASUTH doctors

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has indicated its willingness to suspend its planned strike billed to commence on Friday, May 7.

NARD dropped this hint after a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday, in Abuja.

In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Lanre Lasisi, the doctors said they would suspend the planned strike, as soon as they received their salary arrears ranging from one to five months.

The statement said that NARD took the position after the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said funds were available for the payment.

The minister assured that her ministry would pay once a verified list of the beneficiaries was received, giving her word that payment would be made by May 7.

The statement also said that the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr Ben Akabueze, had confirmed at the meeting that his office was already in receipt of the list.

It could be recalled that the resident doctors had in April embarked on an indefinite strike, after making some demands, which included non-payment of house officers and abolishment of bench fees.

In addition, the doctors also demanded the payment of national minimum wage, salary shortfall for 2014, 2015 and 2016, residency training allowance, and payment of resident doctors on GIFMIS platform.

According to the statement, all the issues raised by the doctors had been resolved, except that of salary shortfall for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The statement noted that the issue involved all health workers with a cost implication of about N23 billion, which the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, described as “huge and complicated.”

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EDUCATION HEADLINES

UCH resident doctors on strike over unpaid salaries

UCH resident doctors on strike over unpaid salaries
UCH

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, has embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid four months salaries of some members.

Dr Temitope Hussein, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Saturday in Ibadan, said the strike was to protest non-payment of January, February, March and April salaries of some members of the association.

Hussein said other issues also included the non-enrolment of some members into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS), which was affecting payment of their emoluments.

NAN recalls that the the national body of the association, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), had in April suspended its indefinite strike after ten days.

NARD had cited “new agreement reached with the Federal Government” as the reason for suspending the strike.

The doctors had demanded, amongst other things, payment of all salary arrears and review of the current hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries for all health workers.