FG compels us to go on strike – NASU, SSAUTHRIAI, ASURI

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja
JOINT Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions, JORAISU, has accused the Federal Government of always compelling industrial unions to embark on strike instead of implementing agreements entered into with the unions.

JORAISU which is comprised of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, SSAUTHRIAI and the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions, ASURI, said having realized that the government enjoys unions going on strike; the unions will continue with it to press home their demands.

Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, over the resumption of strike and the refusal of the Federal Government to implement the agreement it entered into with the unions in the research and allied institutions, the unions said that despite the unfriendly government disposition towards them, the leadership of the unions remained open and committed to dialogue on the issues in dispute.

Comrade Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU who read the text of the press conference jointly signed by Comrade Theo Ndubuaku, General Secretary, ASURI, and Comrade M. Akinade, General Secretary, SSAUTHRIAI, said that the briefing was necessitated by the refusal of government to implement fully the Agreement it signed with the unions in the research and allied institutions in January, 2011.

According to the unions, after series of plea and strike by the unions over non existence of Negotiating Committee, government invited the unions for negotiation on April 29, 2010 and on May 4 and 27, 2010, the unions JAC presented its memorandum of demands to the government team, while in turn the government team on June 11, 2010, gave JAC a draft copy of its reactions to the unions demand.

“It will therefore interest the public to note that after the submission of the unions reaction to the government position on our memorandum of demands, the government side refused blatantly to re-convene negotiation with the unions hence the restiveness of our membership in the sector,” Adeyemi said.