—JAC meets this week

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

The two non-teaching staff unions in the university under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee, JAC, have threatened to embark on what they called the mother of all strike if the Federal Government failed to address their demands.

Already, Chairman of JAC and President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke told Vanguard that JAC may likely meet this week to appraise the situation and make a decision on the next line of action.

Recall that the two unions had penultimate week proceeded on a five day warning strike over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the 2016 Industrial Court judgment that ordered the reinstatement of the sacked teachers of Staff Schools by the government, the discrepancy in disbursement of Earned Allowances where the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, allegedly took over 80 per cent, leaving 20 per cent for the three non teaching unions and the re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreement.

Also read: NIPOST workers threaten 3-day warning strike over unpaid benefits

Speaking exclusively to Vanguard on the next line of action after the warning strike, the General Secretary of NASU, Comrade Peters Adeyemi said that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Ngige had scheduled to meet with the unions to resolve the problem.

He said, “The new Minister of Labour, Senator Dr Chris Ngige has been talking to us, he has been in touch with the JAC. Even before we ended the warning strike, the Minister has been in touch with us.

“There is an agreement that the government and the union will meet very shortly, we can share with you the outcome of the meeting.”

Asked when the meeting will take place, he said, “We want to have a mutual agreement. So, we are actually consulting on the place because the Minister did not want to impose a place on us, it will be very soon.

“That shows you that as the new Minister is assuming work, he is actually trying to resolve the matter.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of JAC, Comrade Ugwoke said that members were getting agitated over the delay of government to address all the necessary concerns raised and that there could be a meeting before the end of the week to appraise the situation.

He said, “Our members are mounting pressure on us, I may call JAC towards the end of the week, that is on Friday so that we can meet and appraise the strike and draw out our plan of action.”