The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday, 26 July, began a solidarity protest for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Lagos.
Members of the NLC are currently protesting in the Ikeja area of Lagos.
President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said eairler that labor would commence a three-day warning strike immediately after the protest and might also consider a full-blown indefinite strike if the ASUU strike persists.
“The protest happening today is not a solidarity protest but a protest of NLC against government actions that led to our universities being shut down and our children staying at home instead of going to school.
“All the unions directly involved in the strike are NLC affiliates and their members are part of NLC.
“We have taken three levels of decision. First is the protest, which is going to be national. After the protest, three days national warning strike will start, and if they fail to resolve the issues and bring back our kids to school, we will go on indefinite strike.
“That is the decision of our National Executive Council. And what will be helpful for them is to check the timeline we have given for them to resolve the issues.
“We are optimistic that they will be willing this time because we are also willing to get our children back to school,” he added.
Castigating the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led administration, Wabba pointed out that the government has not only failed to better the living condition of Nigerians but has left the education sector in shambles.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has declared solidarity with the NLC on the protests and other actions that will be taken to end the industrial action embarked on by ASUU.
First National Deputy President of TUC, Tommy Okon, who stated this in Abuja, yesterday, said the new executive of the congress cannot participate actively because it is still new and does not have the approvals of its relevant organs to join the action.
However, he assured us that once the new executive settles and all the relevant organs are properly set up, TUC will be more visible in the struggles. SCORES of primary school pupils in Osun State, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest in solidarity with ASUU and called on the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the union to end the lingering strike.
The pupils stormed the main gate of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) campus in Ile-Ife and declared support for ASUU, chanting solidarity songs.
The protesting pupils of Sunshine Nursery and Primary School, Ile-Ife, carried different placards bearing inscriptions such as, “Don’t borrow our future away”, “I am the future ASUU, make no mistake about it”, “stand up ASUU, stand up for us.
We see ASUU fighting for us, “Govts should save our future by funding our Universities,”
“When you stand up for ASUU, you are standing for us.”
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