The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has commenced a three-day warning strike starting Wednesday
The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has announced plans to initiate a three-day warning strike beginning on Wednesday, March 20, citing non-payment of four months’ withheld salaries as the reason.
In October 2023, Bola Tinubu instructed that university workers who participated in a prolonged strike in 2022 should be compensated for the four months during which they did not receive salaries. While members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities have received payment for the specified period as directed by the president, NAAT members are still awaiting payment.
According to NAAT president, Ibeji Nwokoma, the decision to commence the warning strike was reached at the union’s National Executive Council emergency virtual meeting.
The statement read, “We are constrained to notify you of the decisions of the National Executive Council of NAAT at the end of its emergency virtual meeting held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. It was resolved that a three-day warning strike and a nationwide protest on the first day commencing from Wednesday, March 20 to Friday, March 22, 2024, be embarked upon.
“This is to enable the union to press home its demand for the payment of withheld salaries of members of NAAT as approved by the Presidency.
“This became necessary due to the unfortunate circumstances leading to the payment of four months withheld salaries of members of a sister union and the exclusion of members of ΝΑΛΤ.
“The minister may wish to note that, in spite of his pronouncement and assurances at the high-level stakeholders meeting held at the Idris Abdulkadir Auditorium, NUC Secretariat on Thursday, January 11, 2024, that the payment of the withheld salaries will be across board and the unions letter of appeal for equity, fairness and justice dated February 16, 2024, for which the office of the minister did not deem it necessary to either respond or acknowledge and till date the government has failed to fulfill its promises.”
Nwokoma urged the Federal Government to take appropriate action, warning that any disruption of academic activities in universities would be attributed to the government’s inaction.
