The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government a four-week ultimatum to finalize negotiations with tertiary institution unions.
If the government fails to meet this deadline, the NLC will initiate a nationwide industrial action.
This decision was made following a Monday meeting at the Labour House with leaders from key unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
“We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector,” NLC President Joe Ajaero said.
“The era of signing agreements, negotiations, and threatening the unions involved, that era has come to an end.”
Ajaero emphasized that the NLC will no longer tolerate the government’s habit of breaching agreements reached with unions.
The labour leader also condemned the government’s “no-work-no-pay” policy, describing it as unjust and counterproductive.
The industrial action by ASUU has brought academic activities to a halt in universities across the country.
The union cited unresolved issues, including staff welfare, infrastructure, salary arrears, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, as reasons for the strike.
ASUU is demanding full implementation of the 2009 agreement, release of withheld salaries, sustainable funding for universities, protection against victimization, payment of outstanding promotion and salary arrears, and release of withheld deductions for cooperatives and union contributions.
The NLC has reaffirmed its solidarity with ASUU and other tertiary education unions, calling for robust participation from all union leaders.
The labour union emphasized the principle of “no pay, no work,” urging the government to honour collective agreements and respect workers’ rights.
“If the government fails to meet the NLC’s ultimatum, the labour union will take nationwide action involving all workers and unions across the country.”
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