Five years after, ASCSN mobilizes members for another strike

Worried by the anti-labour postures of Federal Government in the 104 unity schools across the country, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) said it has concluded arrangement to call its members in the Federal Ministry of

Education including those of them in the 104 Unity Schools and Inspectorate Departments out on indefinite strike based on the “refusal by the Management to honour the agreement reached with the officials of the Association in respect of all outstanding labour issues affecting members of the union in the Establishment.
The Secretary General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, who made this known to this medium stated that the plan to embark on the strike was “By this decision, the 104 Federal Unity Colleges will not re-open for the next academic session scheduled to begin on the 22nd of September 2014.” expressing his sadness over the over the inability of the government to address all outstanding labour issues and particularly the non-payment of promotion arrears from 2007-2010 and the balance for 2011 as well as the non-payment of salaries to some members of staff for the months of July, August, September and October, 2013. Records available to the union indicate that the Ministry had collected the money meant for the settlement of these arrears from the Federal Ministry of Finance.
It would be recalled that the Association 2006 embarked on indefinite strike to protest against unfriendly labour practices by the Federal Ministry of Education designed to plunge the 104 Federal Government Colleges into total chaos.
I would also be recalled that the strike which was on January 7 January 2006, members of this Union in the Unity Schools embarked on strike after the 30 days ultimatum given to the Federal Ministry of Education to address the subsisting labour issues stated hereunder expired:
That time, it was to kick against the plan to cede the 104 Unity Colleges to state governments and or to private individuals and the consequent non-admission of students into JSS I classes even though Common Entrance Examination was conducted for about 64,000 candidates who also attended oral interviews.
That strike also addressed the mass posting of about 3,000 staff without any financial provision for them as contained in the Public Service Rules and to protest against the posting of Union officials before completing their tenure in breach of an earlier agreement reached in 2006.
It was suspended when the newly appointed Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, invited the Union leadership to a meeting on 13th January 2009 and pleaded that he should be given time to study the situation. The strike was suspended. On 22nd January 2009, the meeting reconvened with the Minister of State, Hajiya Aishatu Jibril Dukku presiding. The issues in dispute were accordingly resolved and 31st March 2009 was set as deadline for implementation.