LABOUR Nigeria’s season of strikes
Was it a planned action or mere coincidence that nearly all Nigerian workers under the auspices of different unions would declare strike, pressing for resolution of their demands at the same time?
Whether it was a deliberate efforts or not, it has been a tough period for the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige as he crisscrossing, mediating on behalf of the federal government among the aggressive labour unions’ leaders to ensure peaceful resolution of their perceive grievances.
As if it kick-started torrent of strike, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a nationwide and indefinite strike on August 13, 2017, which its President, Biodun Ogunyemi, said would be total and comprehensive action, whereby there would be no form of academic activities including teaching, attendance of any meeting, conduct and supervision of any examination at any level, supervision of project or thesis at any level should take place at any of the nation’s universities.
Before then, the union had embarked on a one week warning strike in November 2016, to press for the release of N1.3 trillion Public Universities Revitalisation fund.
Other ASUU outstanding issues with the Federal Government to include: payment of fractions/non-payment of salaries; non-payment of earned academic allowances, non-release of operational license of NUPEMCO; non implementation of the provisions of the 2014 pension reform act with respect to retired professors and their salaries and removal of universities staff schools from funding by government.
During the period, students were sent back home while educational activities in the federal and state universities were paralised.
After one month, the union announced a conditional suspension of its nationwide strike.
Ogunyemi explained that they decided to conditionally suspend the strike action, in view of the timeline of October 2017 for the implementation of the signed agreement.
While this was on, resident doctors under the auspices of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD),on September 4, 2017 declared indefinite strike. According to its President, Dr Olusegun Olaopa, the doctors are demanding for the resolution of persistent shortfalls and unpaid arrears of salaries earned in both federal and state tertiary health institutions.
Other issues are the enrolment of resident doctors into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) since 2003, and nonimplementation of adjusted House Officers’ Entry grade level equivalent since 2014.
The resident doctors are also asking for the resolution of issues around their stagnation of promotion and nonpromotion of members who have met requisite criteria despite all collective bargaining agreements and circulars.
Also, on September 14, the Resident Doctors resolved to suspend its strike embarked on since Sept. 4.
According to Dr Onyebueze John, Presidnet of NARD, the union resolved to suspend the strike and to re-assess the situation in two weeks at its Annual General Meeting in Abuja. “The suspension is in response to the efforts so far made by the government in addressing the items on the notice of their ultimatum.
”After due consideration of the efforts by Government and progress made in addressing the items on the notice of our ultimatum, and strike, as well as implementing the contents of the re-negotiated MTS, NARD resolved to suspend her 10 days strike, and to reassess situation in two weeks at our AGM in Abuja,” he said.
Within days of resident doctor’s strike, ULC had on Monday, September 18, begun a nationwide strike after the expiration of seven-day notice issued to the federal government.
Parts of their demands as issued by the president of the union, Joe Ajaero, include immediate review of the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to save Nigerians the agony of suffering under the suffocating darkness which the GENCOs and DISCOs have foisted on the nation, immediate payment of all the arrears of salaries owed Nigerian workers at all levels of Government without exception, release of the withholding of registration certificate of the ULC be stopped and the certificate released forthwith so that the nation’s Industrial Relations clime will be made more inclusive and robust.
The affiliated unions of ULC include Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Electricity Workers, Nigerian Union of Mine Workers, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions employees, Association of Nigerian aviation professionals, among others.