By Uche Onyeali
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has given the federal government a four-week ultimatum to conclude negotiations with all unions in tertiary institutions.
NLC frowned at the ‘no-work-no-pay’ policy introduced by government as a form of sanction to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, for daring to embark on a nationwide strike.
The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero gave the ultimatum in an interactive session with labour correspondents Monday in Abuja.
The interactive session came after a meeting between NLC and leaders of unions in public tertiary institutions at the NLC Headquarters in Abuja.
“We have decided to give the federal government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU, but the problem in this sector goes beyond the union.
“That is why we are extending this to four weeks. If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the National Executive Council, NEC, will meet and take a nationwide action that all workers in the country, all unions will be involved so that we can get to the root of all this.
“The era of signing agreements, negotiations and threatening the unions involved, has come to an end.
“The so-called policy of no work, no pay, will henceforth be no pay, no work. You cannot benefit from an action you instigated. We have discovered that most, 90 percent of strike actions in this country are caused by failure to obey agreements,” Ajaero said.
