The National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, on Friday issued a two-week strike ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet their demands or its members will go on strike.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, NAAT President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma said the two weeks ultimatum will last between 28th February to 14th March.
He said that the strike will start from March 17 to March 31 if the federal government fails to meet their demands.
According to him, “going by the Government continued insensitivity to the genuine yearnings/agitations and demands of members of NAAT over many burning issues in the area of re-positioning the laboratories/Workshops/ Studios in the Nigerian Public Universities and the near total neglect of the welfare of members of our Union. The Union is being compelled by Government through its activities and dispositions to embark on what may turn out to become a total and indefinite industrial action.”
He enumerated their demands to include non-full implementation of the 2009 FGN/NAAT Agreements, the refusal to release the enabling circular for the implementation of CONTISS 14 & 15 for Academic Technologists as contained in the MOU of 2017, 2020 and 2021, Non-payment of Earned Allowance (EA) for our members – specifically as agreed in the MOU of 2021 that subsequent release of EA shall be Union based and subsequent sharing shall be based on template generated from signed agreement of each Union and not number of persons in each Union or personnel cost.
Other contentious issues are delay in renegotiation of FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreementts, Non-payment of arrears of National Minimum Wages, Non-release of adequate Laboratories/ Workshops and Studios Rehabilitation Fund among others.
He said, “it is pertinent to know that more than twelve years after signing of agreement with NAAT concerning emolument, motivation and welfare of our members. Many components of the agreement are either not implemented or partly implemented. Non-conclusion of ongoing renegotiation of FGN/NAAT 2009 agreement that has been on-going for more than two years which smacks insensitivity and provocation on the part of Government as it has concluded negotiations with a sister Union.”[appbox firefoxaddon ]
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