NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Loading

Tag Strike

NLC members during a protest
General News , Metro

NLC begins nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will commence a two-day nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5 to 6,except the Federal Government addresses the excruciating suffering of the masses.

Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this while addressing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress on Friday in Abuja.

Ajaero while reading the communiqué jointly signed by Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress, said the resolutions were reached after exhaustive deliberation.

According to him, NEC in session resolved to embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today.

“This is until steps are taken by the Government to address the excruciating mass suffering and impoverishment being experienced around the country.

“To commence a two-day nationwide warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday from Sept.5 to 6 to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month .

“To also demand that the State vacates the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

“To embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo within September in preparation for a major shutdown of the state.

“This is to compel the State government to stop the abuse and violation of the rights and privileges of workers and trade unions in the state, ’he said.

He also added that to begin the shutdown of the operations of Air peace Airline, and other companies in the Aviation sector that were involved in serial violation of the rights of workers in the sector.

The NLC president said this was to ensure freedom of Association and to collectively bargain.

He called on communities around the nation to stop taking laws into their hands but report to the authorities for amicable resolution.

He said that this was on any matter involving members of the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuffs, and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) which is one of our affiliates.

He urged the new FCT Minister, Mr Nyesome Wike to desist from threatening poor masses with demolition of their properties, and focus more on making houses available to the people.

“He is not a minister of demolition and should be prepared to meet Nigerian workers and citizens on the street if he carries out his insensitive utterances,” ‘he said.

Ajaero said that NEC had deeply analysed the prevailing national sentiment, taking into account the extensive hardships and deprivation afflicting the citizens across all states of the federation.

He said the council scrutinised the Federal Government’s failures to establish essential structures to address the widespread suffering in our nation.

He also noted that it considered the government’s deliberate neglect and disregard for engaging with national stakeholders through the channels of social dialogue.

“This is a commitment it had solemnly declared during the President’s inaugural address on May 29,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

================
Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Joseph Edeh

NLC constantly calling for living wage for civil servants
General News

NLC to begin nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will commence a two-day nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5 to Sept. 6,except the Federal Government addresses the excruciating suffering of the masses.

Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said this while addressing  newsmen at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress on Friday in Abuja.

Ajaero while reading the communiqué he4 jointly signed by Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress, said the resolutions were reached after exhaustive deliberation.

According to him, NEC in session resolved to embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today.

“This is until steps are taken by the Government to address the excruciating mass suffering and impoverishment being experienced around the country.

“To commence a two-day nationwide warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday from Sept.5 to 6  to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month .

“To also demand that the State vacates the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

“To embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo within September in preparation for a major shutdown of the state.

“This is to compel the State government to stop the abuse and violation of the rights and privileges of workers and trade unions in the state, ’he said.

He also added that to begin the shutdown of the operations of Air peace Airline, and other companies in the Aviation sector that were involved in serial violation of the rights of workers in the sector.

The NLC president said this was to ensure freedom of Association and to collectively bargain.

He called on communities around the nation to stop taking laws into their hands but report to the authorities for amicable resolution.

He said that this was on any matter involving members of the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuffs, and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) which is one of our affiliates.

He urged the new FCT Minister, Mr Nyesome Wike  to desist from threatening poor masses with demolition of their properties, and focus more on making houses available to the people.

“He is not a minister of demolition and should be prepared to meet Nigerian workers and citizens on the street if he carries out his insensitive utterances,” ‘he said.

Ajaero said  that NEC had deeply analysed the prevailing national sentiment, taking into account the extensive hardships and deprivation afflicting the citizens across all states of the federation.

He said the council scrutinised the Federal Government’s failures to establish essential structures to address the widespread suffering in our nation.

He also noted that it considered the government’s deliberate neglect and disregard for engaging with national stakeholders through the channels of social dialogue.

“This is a commitment it had solemnly declared during the President’s inaugural address on May 29,”he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

 

Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Joseph Edeh

Health

FG appeals to resident doctors to end strike  

 

By Joan Nwagwu

The Federal Government has appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), to call off its ongoing indefinite strike.

 

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju, made the appeal at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NARD embarked on an indefinite strike on July 26, following the expiration of a two-week ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government to press home its demands.

 

The doctors’ demands include implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy for healthcare workers; Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Colleges.

 

Other demands are: the immediate payment of all salary arrears; the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure; a new hazard allowance and the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act; among others.

 

Daju urged the striking doctors to consider the lives of many Nigerians at stake and end the strike.

 

She said that the new administration and other relevant agencies were working round the clock to ensure that the contentious issues were addressed and the doctors’ demands met.

 

“We are using this medium to currently appeal to NARD that please, Nigerians are dying in troops. That is the truth, the health sector is a very important sector.

 

“Not that other sectors are not important, they are all important but we all know what medical doctors are to us. If you are ill today and you cannot go to a hospital, what happens?

 

“People are dying, people cannot care for themselves. So, I am begging them and I am lending my voice to the voice of all members of the government who have appealed to them, to please call off their strike and go back to work.

 

“I know that your parent ministry alongside other government agencies are working round the clock to ensure that this matter is sorted out,”she said.

 

She said the Federal Government expected that with all sense of responsibility, NARD would see reasons with them.

 

She said, “I know that maybe between 29 May and now, they assumed that what they requested would be given immediately but, some of the issues have been dealt with by the Federal Government.”

 

She, however, noted that since the new administration came into office, concerted efforts had been made by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to address the issues.

 

She said that there were two main contending issues which include the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund and One-on-one placement of exited doctors.

 

Daju explained that on the immediate payment of 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund, the government had appealed to the doctors to await when ministers are in place.

 

” Very soon, we are sure that ministers are going to be in place and government is not resting on its oars. We understand the plight of where you are coming from,” she said.

 

On efforts made to resolve the issue of replacement of exited doctors, Daju further explained that the office of the Head of Civil Service was attending to that and a committee had been set up.

 

She said, “We have pleaded again that you just give us a little more time that when recommendations have been made by the committee we will bring them forth and act but to no avail,”she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

 

 

 

Education

NAN MD tasks UNILAG Alumni on incessant strikes

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

Managing Director, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Buki Ponle has called on the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Alumni Association to work with other stakeholders to end incessant strikes in tertiary institutions nationwide.

Ponle made the call in Abuja on Thursday when a delegation of the FCT branch of the association led by its Chairman, Mr Aliu Akoshile, paid him a courtesy visit.

On the issue of strikes in the nation’s universities, Ponle said that alumni associations should come together to minimise if not completely eliminate incessant strikes that are affecting the education sector.

“I am a parent and just like anyone, we have children going through mental retardation as a result of strikes. We need to come together to proffer solutions to address the challenges in the sector,” he said.

The managing director also urged the association to harness the huge potential resources available in various sectors to make the country a great nation.

He called on the association to take a look at the educational ranking among committee of nations to ensure that the tertiary institutions are repositioned to take the lead.

“Our current ranking of universities cannot be compared with other nations. All along we have not fared well to show what we are capable of doing.

“When we go out we excel, why can’t we demonstrate same excellent at home? Because charity they say begins at home.

“Excellence in terms of research, teaching, global outlook. In one way or the other, we have a role to play for the development and interest to lead our country and how we want it to be.

“We can achieve this through our collective efforts,” he said.

On the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic ravaging the world, he said there was a need to tap into the technological advancement of the world so as not to be left behind.

Speaking earlier, Akoshile pledged the association’s commitment to contribute to the development of the country.

Akoshile said that the association sought to promote the UNILAG brand to contribute to the society and promote the welfare of its members.

“The survival and sustenance of democracy can be made or marred by the activities of the media practitioners and we are very happy our member is today heading one of the media organisations.

“The reason for our coming is to felicitate the MD and to encourage him to pursue those things that made it possible for the government to ask him to come back.

“And, to keep him abreast of the fact that this year will be the 25th year the association was inaugurated in Abuja.

“We are looking towards having our silver jubilee this year and seeking to promote the growth of UNILAG brand,” he said.

He, therefore, called on NAN management to continue to support the association in its membership drive which would allow for the development of the association and the nation at large. (NAN)

Education

ASUU embarks on indefinite strike in Taraba varsity

By Gabriel Yough

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) Taraba State University Chapter, on Tuesday declared an indefinite strike after its meeting.

The chapter Chairman, Dr Samuel Shikaa, said this while addressing journalists shortly after the meeting.

Shikaa said the union resolved to embark on the industrial action to demand compliance to an agreement the state government and the university management signed with the union.

He listed some of their demands to include, the commencement of their contributory pension scheme, prompt payment of their Earned Academic Allowance( EAA), among others.

“Taraba State University has no pension arrangement and you can quote me anywhere.

“Families of some of our colleagues that have died only received paltry sums for burial rites which to us are not terminal benefits.

“And to some others who left this institution to other universities, they have nothing to benefit.

“Our members are ready to commence deduction from their take home for the contributory pension scheme but we also want government’s commitment that their percentage of the contribution will be honoured.

“The EAA allowance for excess workload since 2013 has accumulated and has not been paid,” he said.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, said 75 per cent of the demands by members of ASUU had been met.

Tenebe explained that the strike was unnecessary and urged members of the union to call off their demonstration for the sake of the students, while they continued negotiation with the management of the institution.

He also dismissed claims that the government was not ready to comply with its part payment to the contributory pension scheme.

“Ever since the MoU was signed with ASUU, the management and government went into action and I can tell you that 75 per cent of their demands have been met.

“ASUU has been demanding the commencement of the contributory pension scheme and when I came in as Vice-Chancellor in 2017, they brought up this demand which was part of the MoA.

“I went further to present a memo to the governing council of this university in 2018 and the council acting as an independent body and regarded as the sole employer of labour in universities by government regulation, approved that we can start that contributory pension scheme.

“This means that every member of staff that keys into this pension scheme will contribute 7.5 per cent of his basic salary while the government will also contribute 7.5 per cent which will be sent to the administrator of a pension for saving till when the employee retires.

“After that approval, I informed all the members of staff of this university through a circular that the governing council has approved the commencement of the pension scheme and we went further to appoint a desk officer from the registry for the pension scheme.

“We also invited some pension administrators who came to create awareness and also did some marketing of their companies to staff for them to fill their forms and submit to the school management for the commencement of the pensions scheme.

“Since 2018, they have failed to produce their pension administrators and their account numbers for management to utilise and in fact, this university wanted to be used as a role model for other institutions in this state,” he said. (NAN)

Education

Edo NUT suspends 3 week-old strike –Officials

By Usman Aliyu

Public primary school teachers and head teachers in Edo, under the aegis  of the Nigeria Union of Teacher (NUT), has  suspended their three-week old industrial action with a call on the state government to urgently meet their demands.

The union’s decision to suspend the action was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its emergency State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting held in Benin-City.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the state NUT chairman, Pius Okhuleliegbe;  NUT Assistant Secretary, Mike Itua, state Chairman of the Association of Primary School Headteachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Ehileboh Thomas, and the state Secretary of the All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS).

The union directed all heads and teachers in the state’s public schools to resume work on Monday, Feb. 8.

The NUT said it resolved to suspend the strike in consideration of the various interventions made by stakeholders in the education sector of the state.

“In consideration of the various stakeholders and their special passionate appeals to the union, to allow them join in resolving the industrial dispute between government and the NUT, Edo State Wing in session at the end of deliberations resolved:

“That the 19 day-old indefinite strike action by public primary school heads and teachers in Edo be suspended and is hereby suspended.

“That all public primary school heads and teachers in Edo should resume work on Monday Feb 8, 2021.

“That any form of victimisation against union leaders should be promptly reported to the union for necessary action.

“That Edo Government should utilise the opportunity of the suspension, to urgently meet the demands of the union, so as to restore hope and confidence between government and the union”, the communique said.

The union commended the genuine efforts of the national leadership of the NUT, members of the Edo Government Transition Committee, NUT Edo Wing Elders Council and Edo office of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, among other stakeholders, which, it said, was aimed at having the issues in dispute amicably resolved.

It also applauded its members for their unprecedented solidarity and sustenance of the strike action for the past 19 days.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union had on Jan. 18 embarked on an indefinite strike to press home its demands with the Edo Government.

The demands included the payment  of 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears of some teachers, and guarantee of the payment of primary school teachers’ monthly salaries on or before the 27th of every month as directed by Gov. Godwin Obaseki, as well as correct implementation of the 30 per cent Special Allowance for Teachers, in schools for challenged children. (NAN)