FG threatens to invoke ‘No work, no pay’ policy on striking polytechnic workers

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday threatened to invoke ‘no work, no pay’ on the striking members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).

Ngige, who issued the threat notice via a statement issued in Abuja, however, urged the striking workers to shelve the five-day warning strike effective from Tuesday, January 31, in the interest of the nation and the students.

‘’I wish to assure you that the Federal Government is ready and willing to fully dialogue with the members of ASUP, and government will open an unhindered channel of communication with all stakeholders and shall maintain this.

“Moreover, the Federal Ministry of Education have been discussing issues with ASUP on the concerns raised.

“Therefore, it is important for trade unions to embrace social dialogue in the pursuit and attainment of the economic and social interests of their members anchored on equity, natural justice and agreed procedures.

‘’I wish to remind the trade unions that there is nothing like a “Warning Strike” in our National Industrial Relations System (NIRS) – a strike is a strike and is subject to all the rules governing strike in the world of work.

“Accordingly, the provisions of Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP. T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, will apply regarding the law of “No Work No Pay’’ by workers/employees notwithstanding any other circumstances in any section of the Act.

“Once more, I wish to appeal to the trade unions to embrace dialogue as the Federal Government is fully committed to peaceful resolution of all the issues at stake,” Ngige said in the statement.

In a related development, Federal College of Agriculture (Ibadan chapter) has threatened to embark on another round of industrial action over the suspension of four academic staff.

The union via a letter dated January 19, 2017, acknowledged the intervention of Federal Government through Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture and rural development, towards resolving the lingering industrial dispute in the college.

According to the union, the minister via a letter dated December 16, 2016, with Ref. Number AGR/909/1 signed by Shobowale, A. A., the DHR FMA&RD to directed the Provost of the College to “immediately lift the suspension order without pay arbitrarily placed on four academic staff in the college since August 15, 2016.

“Other directives contained in the said letter are that: all queries issued to the union executives on the basis of their activities in the union must be withdrawn; no staff must be denied participation in promotion exercise except those with disciplinary case against them; all outstanding salaries, promotion arrears, conference allowances and other benefits denied or owed the union executives must be paid.

“The last promotion exercise conducted without the representatives of the Ministry (FMA&RD) is null and void (a new date should be fixed in due course); the membership of ASUP and its activities should continue pending the recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment while the union Executives should also apologise to the College Management for their role in the crisis.

“It must be recalled that the four suspended academic staff in the College which include: Comrade Jokanola Olufemi; Oluade Eyitayo; Adekunle Adenike and Awogbade Adeyemi are the Chairman; Secretary; PRO and Internal auditor of ASUP-FCA respectively.

“However, it is also important to note that since the issuance of these FG directives, the executives of ASUP-FCA had written the apology letter as directed, yet, Dr. Adelekan-led Management has not only refused to comply with the directives of the Federal Government and failed to commence immediate implementation but has also gone ahead to launch a fresh attack on another member of ASUP-FCA executive.

“It is in light of this that ASUP-FCA calls on all well-meaning Nigerians including parents, guardians and students (past and present) of our great College to prevail on Dr Adelekan-led Management of the college in order to avert the onset of another round of industrial crisis in the College,” the letter read.