The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to settle five and a half months of unpaid salaries, among other issues, or its members will suspend their services at universities.
This ultimatum was part of the resolutions made during NAAT’s 56th National Executive Council meeting in Taraba State over the weekend.
In a letter to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, signed by NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma, the union stated that it would not be held liable if no action is taken by the deadline, which started on September 30, to resolve their various demands.
The letter titled: “Notice of 21-day ultimatum to embark on an industrial action’, was copied to the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), and the National Universities Commission (NUC).
It read: “The leadership of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) wishes to draw your attention to the above subject matter.
“Arising from the 56th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Federal University Wukari on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th September, 2024, the Union is compelled to issue this notice of a three-week ultimatum as a result of failure of government to keep to the promises and assurances given on the payment of the five and half months withheld salaries of NAAT members even after a presidential directive of over five months ago and other outstanding issues as stated below;
“Non-release of enabling circular on CONTISS 14 & 15 for NAAT members as agreed in 2017 MoU, payment of arrears of minimum wage to the omitted members of NAAT (April 2019 to January 2020), payment of arrears of 25% and 35% salary increase (January to December, 2023).
“Inadequate infrastructure, dilapidated laboratories, workshops and obsolete equipment. Complete/total negligence of the training of academic technologists on the use of modern equipment and ICT.
“The Honourable Minister is to note that at the expiration of the three-weeks and without any positive results from the government, the union will be forced to commence industrial action without further notice.”
It would be recalled that NAAT initiated an industrial action from March 21, 2022 that ended in August, 2022 after a series of meetings held at the instance of the then Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu where a resolution dated 17th August 2022 was reached.
Additionally, the association lamented that all the issues that led to the strike are yet to be resolved by the federal government despite the resolutions reached which included the non-conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ NAAT Agreement
It had also raised the alarm over the non-provision of funds for upgrade of public universities’ laboratories, workshops and studios, and obsolete equipment.
“It is important to note that the Federal Government invoked the “No-work-No-pay” policy, which NAAT rejected as all due processes as contained in the Trade Union Act were followed,” the union stated.
It further explained: “This led to our members being owed five and a half months salary. Regardless of all the efforts to resolve the issues peacefully through dialogue, the Federal government has not paid the withheld salaries despite promises made by government representatives and a presidential directive.
“In March 2024, a sister union was paid four months’ arrears of the withheld salary while NAAT members were not paid.
“This prompted the union to embark on a three (3) day warning strike/ protest to demand the payment of the five and half months’ salaries of NAAT members. The three-day warning strike was suspended only after an appeal and promise to pursue the issue within a short period by the Honourable Ministers of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman and that of State, Dr. Yusuf Sununu.
“It is now September 2024, NAAT members have not been paid the withheld salary even after a pronouncement made by the Honourable Minister of State, Labour and Employment that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the payment of withheld salaries to all university-based unions in full.
“Furthermore, NAAT also wishes to state that part of the resolutions that led to the suspension of the strike in 2022 was the commitment to release Fifty Billion (N50,000,000,000) Naira for payment of Earned Allowances for University staff.
“It is pertinent to note that item 7 of the resolution of 17th August, 2022 clearly stated that the fifty billion naira is for the payment of Earned Allowances (EA) and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).
“In view of the foregoing, at its 56th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on September 25th and 26th, 2024 at Federal University Wukari, Taraba State after exhaustive deliberations, unanimously resolved to issue a three-week ultimatum to the federal government to resolve above mentioned demands failure which the Union will have no option than to embark on an industrial action without further notice.
“NAAT calls on all well-meaning Nigerians, Traditional rulers, Religious leaders, Civil societies and student leadership to prevail on the Federal Government on the above demands.”
