The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has faulted the Federal Government’s ‘no work, no pay’ stance over the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing it as insensitive and misleading.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said in Abuja yesterday that the industrial action by university lecturers was forced on them by the government’s refusal to implement agreements freely entered into with the union.
Ajaero noted that the public education system continues to suffer from chronic underfunding and the government’s failure to honour commitments made to academic workers.
“The government’s continued refusal to implement agreements voluntarily reached with lecturers and workers is undermining public tertiary institutions,” Ajaero said.
“The commencement of a two-week warning strike by ASUU is a direct consequence of the Federal Government’s refusal to honour collectively bargained agreements. This action is a necessary response to the neglect of a fundamental pillar of our society.”
The NLC leader criticised the government’s resort to threats rather than dialogue, describing the ‘no work, no pay’ policy as an unproductive form of grandstanding.
“This misrepresents the situation. The breach of contract lies with the state, not the scholars. The lecturers are willing to work, but the government, by reneging on its commitments, has made it impossible for them to do so with the dignity and conditions their profession deserves. The core principle remains: ‘No Pay, No Work,’” Ajaero stated.
He explained that the ASUU struggle goes beyond a mere industrial dispute, stressing that it reflects a broader social crisis in Nigeria.
“While the children of the elite attend private institutions or study abroad, the children of the working class and the poor are left in a public education system being systematically weakened. This creates an educational divide that limits social mobility and perpetuates inequality,” he said.
“An educated populace is essential for a progressive nation, and the current approach appears designed to reserve quality education as a commodity for the privileged few.”
The NLC reaffirmed its full solidarity with ASUU and other unions in the tertiary education sector, urging the Federal Government to abandon its threats and immediately address the issues outlined in the negotiated agreements.
It warned that if the government remains unresponsive after the two-week warning strike, the NLC would convene an emergency meeting with its affiliates in the education sector to develop a comprehensive strategy for engagement.
“The struggle of ASUU is our struggle. The fight for public education is a fight for Nigeria’s future. We will no longer allow these unions to stand alone. We demand that the Federal Government use this two-week window to present a concrete plan for the full implementation of all agreements,” it said.
“The choice is clear: honour the agreements and salvage public education, or face the resolute and unified force of the entire Nigerian workforce.”
