VARSITIES STRIKE: NLC THREATENS PROTEST NATIONWIDE

Plans are underway by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to stage a national protest against the ongoing strike by university workers. The protest could, however, snowball into a nationwide down tool, if government’s inaction continues.

A communique issued at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Abuja did not specify when the protest would commence.

NLC President Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary Emma Ugboajah signed the communique.

NLC said: “Within the span of the subsisting 21-day ultimatum given by Congress, NLC will hold national protests against the current strike action affecting students of Nigeria’s public universities, and occasioned by government’s failure to honour agreement reached with trade unions in our universities.”

“The protest is to draw the attention of government to the inherent catastrophe in the emerging culture of social apartheid in our society, especially as marked by prolonged lockout of students from working class and poor homes, while children of the rich continue their academic pursuits uninterrupted.”

Congress said: “If at the end of the national protest and the 21-day ultimatum, the Federal Government still fails to resolve the industrial crises in Nigeria’s universities, the Congress would be left with no other option but to embark on a three-day nationwide warning strike action, in solidarity with our affiliates in the universities and with Nigerian students whose future and wellbeing are being robbed.”

The meeting called on the governments of Taraba, Cross River and Zamfara States to immediately commence payment of the arrears of national minimum wage owed their workers. It also called on the Abia State government to immediately clear the backlog of pension arrears owed.