Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
The nationwide strike action declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and the United Labour Congress, ULC, which commences today was partially successful in Oyo State. The strike action was declared over non-implementation of the National Minimum wage.
Banks, other establishments and government offices at all levels were undignified as they were all shutdown because workers did not turn up for work. Students of primary and secondary schools were turned back and asked to return to their different homes because teachers were not available to teach them.
However, state boarding schools could not be closed down as a teacher in WESLEY College, Elekuro, under anonymity said, “I am not permitted to talk to the press but I will talk to you as long as you will not mentioned my name.
“We just heard of the strike today and you know that we have students in boarding school. some of them come from different part of the country and it will not be good for us to join the strike because there is nowhere we will put our students. we have to wait, monitor things till the end of the week or for like a week. if the strike continue, then we will have to send for their parents to come and take their children. We have to teach them today. I am just coming from the class where I went to teach my students. that is the situation here”.
Also, private primary and secondary school were not closed down.
Also, activities were partially paralyses at the University of Ibadan, UI, as the workers were asked to join the strike action.
According to a text message from the UI Chapter, “ASUU national has directed our members to join the strike action declared by NLC as ASUU was a party to the decision. please comply and cooperate”.
As a result, lecture did not hold as a student said, “I have been to the classroom today, our lecturers did not come. They have joined the NLC strike. What I do not understand is that if this minimum wage is implemented, will it affect the universities’ workers because I know that they are not using the same minimum wage scale? Besides, whenever ASUU or unions of the universities are fighting for wages, NLC or workers of other government agencies don’t join, so why are they joining”?
It was also gathered that some non-academic staff of the university were at their duty post as at the time of filing this report. However, UI ASUU Chairman, Dr Deji Omole said the strike would be formally declared at the congress of the union tomorrow.
According to a release sent to members today, Omole said, “ASUU is an affiliate of NLC and the national leadership of the Union attended the NEC meeting of NLC where the decision to embark on the ongoing warning strike was taken. Members of ASUU are therefore directed to join the strike action declared by NLC as from today Thursday, 27 September, 2018. With this decision to join the NLC declared warning strike to press for the conclusion of negotiation on minimum wage, ASUU, UI emergency congress will hold tomorrow Friday, 28 September, 2018 to share information and to formally declare the strike. We should not allow the government to always work away from concluding negotiation with the organised labour unions as this also has implications for the renegotiation of ASUU/FGN agreement”.
As a result of the strike, the Premier University has postponed indefinitely the 15th English Language Clinic Lecture scheduled for October Monday 8 2018, regretting the inconveniences this postponement would have caused.