Research workers suspend strike

Workers in Nigeria’s research institutes, who have been on industrial action for about 90 days, have suspended the action.

In an agreement signed in Abuja on April 30 by the leadership of the Trade Unions constituting the Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions (JORAISU) and government, it was agreed that the nine weeks is to allow a committee raised by government resolve all the issues in disagreement.

The issues in contention include one year arrears of salaries between July 2009 July 2010; demand for 65 years retirement age for non-teaching staff in research institutes; establishment of coordinating commission for research institutions; funding of research institutes; earned allowances and skipping of salary grade level 10.

While speaking to The Guardian on the suspension of the industrial action, the General Secretary of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Peter Adeyemi, said the unions suspended the action owing to the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan of the settlement of all the issues in disagreement.

He said: “We were convinced as union leaders that we went on this strike because there was nothing concrete on the table. But now that we have seen actually that Mr. President who has final authority over this matter has approved most of our agitations, we have no choice other than reconsider our position hence the decision to suspend the strike for nine weeks to allow government put every machinery in motion towards the realization of the approved items.

“Our suspending the strike for nine weeks would also allow government to fail again rather than allowing a situation where the public will see us as people who don’t want to work. Even though government asked for 12 weeks, we thought that nine weeks was enough for them to kick-start the process because we consider the fact that these are senior government officials who have competing things to do.”

Adeyemi stated that while the memo signed by the President points the way forward for the resolution of the disputed issues, the payment of one-year salary arrears was not approved.

He said the withholding of the President’s approval was informed by a counter-memo presented by the Salaries, Income Wages Commission, which held that the workers were not entitled to the arrears because their negotiations did not end as at the time negotiations with the unions in the universities ended.

He explained: “But we have consistently faulted this position. Apart from positing that it is out to prevent waste and preserve government resources, the commission also observed that paying us the arrears may trigger off agitations in the sub-sector, Mr. President had no choice but to take a second look at the scenario.

“They also argued that if we were paid, it would then mean that our life span of the agreement government had with us would have begun a year earlier than the negotiated date. This position must have indeed appealed to Mr. President. However, attractive as this may seems, Mr. President has raised a committee to look at the entire thing and report back.

“The membership of this committee which is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, includes the unions, Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ministers of Education, Labour and Productivity, Science and Technology and Agriculture and Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.”

Though Adeyemi admitted that nine weeks was not enough to accomplish all things set out in the agreement, he submitted that the period is good enough to lay a foundation for their accomplishment if government finds the will.

His words: “We do not expect all the approved items to be implemented in nine weeks, but government can put in place steps that will kick-start the process. For example, there is a draft bill in the National assembly on the proposed coordinating body for research institutions in the country.

 “The executive arm of government can initiate an accelerated process in the Assembly that can culminate in conducting a public hearing on the bill. This will show us that something concrete has begun. Indeed, we know that some of the items may not be conclusively dealt with within the period but actions can be taken that will reassure us of government seriousness within the nine weeks.”

Apart from NASU, other unions involved in the dispute include Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI).

As a result the suspension of the strike, workers in the research sector resumed work yesterday (Monday).

 It was also agreed that there shall be no victimization of any worker arising from any act during the strike period.