*Promises to adjust workers’ salaries to meet current economic realities
The Federal Government has denied dragging the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).
Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, made the clarification at the public presentation of the NLC at 40 publication titled, “Contemporary History of Working Class Struggles’’ on Monday in Abuja.
Quest Times had earlier reported that the minister on Sunday in Abuja, in a letter addressed to the Registrar of NICN, dated September 8, said the referral instrument had become necessary following the failure of dialogue between the union and the Federal Ministry of Education.
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“The Federal Government has asked the NICN to inquire into the legality or otherwise of the ongoing prolonged strike by ASUU leadership and members that had continued even after apprehension.
“It asked the court to interpret in its entirety the provisions of Section 18 LFN 2004, especially as it applies to the cessation of strike once a trade dispute is apprehended by the Minister of Labour and Employment and conciliation is ongoing,” he said.
Ngige, however, refuted claims that FG dragged ASUU to court over the prolonged strike of the union as widely reported.
“There are laws guiding strike. There are ILO principles on the right to strike. Nobody can take it away.
“But, there are things that follow it when you embark on strike as a worker and they are enshrined in the laws of our land.
“It is written in Trade Dispute Act. The ILO principles of strike talk about the right of a worker to withdraw services. There is also right to picket. These are things that are done.
“Nigeria is respected in ILO. Some people said Federal Government took ASUU to court. No, I referred the matter after seven months of protracted discussions and negotiations that failed,” he said.
The minister also said the Federal Government was very much aware that the N30,000 National Minimum Wage had depreciated, while promising that the Buhari-led government will adjust workers’ salaries to meet the current realities in the economy of the country.