The Joint Action Force (JAF) Thursday urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress, (TUC) to declare 48 hour general strike to save public education in the country.
JAF in a statement jointly signed by its deputy chairperson, Comrade Achike Chude and secretary, Comrade Abiodun, made available to journalists in Ibadan also tasked the NLC and TUC to demand urgent action from the government to deal with the cost of living and improve the living conditions of all workers.
The body said the 48 hour strike became imperative in view of the federal government’s failure to resolve the strike actions embarked upon by workers in public university sector.
“For more than two weeks after the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) mass protest and over three weeks that President Buhari ordered the minister of Education to resolve the strike actions embarked upon by workers in public universities sector. It is unfortunate that the federal government is yet to reach an agreement that will resolve the strike action by the university unions.
“While the universities have been shut down for over 180 days, the attitude of the President Buhari regime does not show that it is ready to sincerely meet the demands of the striking workers.
“We in the JAF condemn this unserious attitude of government towards implementing agreements it reached with unions, most especially in the case of ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
“Such a general strike should be preceded by mass leaf letting, public meetings and rallies across the country in order to build support of workers and the oppressed masses.”
