Withheld salaries: NAAT begins 3-days warning strike on Wednesday

• President had in October last year directed that the university workers that embarked on prolonged strike in 2022 over the inability of the then government to address their concerns to be paid four months

The National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, has said it will begin a three day warning strike on Wednesday, over the non-payment of the four months withheld salaries as directed by President Bola Tinubu.

Recall that the President had in October last year directed that the university workers that embarked on prolonged strike in 2022 over the inability of the then government to address their concerns to be paid four months.

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had invoked the “No work, no pay,” policy which meant that the university workers would not be paid salaries within the period they were on strike.

While the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have been paid the four months as directed by the President, NAAT is yet to collect anything despite its protest and several correspondences to the relevant government officials.

In a statement to announce the three days warning strike, signed by its President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, NAAT explained that the decision to embark on the warning strike was sanctioned at the union’s National Executive Council, NEC, emergency virtual meeting.

The statement read: “We are constrained to notify you of the decisions of the National Executive Council (NEC) of NAAT at the end of its emergency virtual meeting held on Wednesday 13th March, 2024, it was resolved that a 3-day warning strike and a nationwide protest on the first day commencing from Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd March, 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 11th January, 2024 that the payment of the withheld salaries will be across board and the unions letter of appeal for equity, fairness and justice dated 16th February, 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 fulfil its promises.” Nwokoma said

He, therefore, called on the federal government to do the needful or be held responsible for any disruption of academic activities in our universities as we embark on this action.