The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Chapter, last Tuesday, embarked on a 2-week warning strike in line with the directive from their national body to proceed on industrial action to press home their demands.
The Chairman of NAAT, UNIZIK branch, Comrade Chukwuemeka Okoli, who disclosed this to journalists in Awka, directed all members in laboratories, workshops, and studios to down tools with immediate effect.
The union said the strike became imperative following the recurrent failure of the Federal Government to honour the 2009 FG/NAAT agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as agreed by the two parties.
The NAAT National Executive Committee (NEC), had, on Thursday, March 17, 2022, held an emergency virtual meeting, where 46 out of the 47 branches, who participated, voted in support of a 2-week warning strike.
The NEC also directed her branches to constitute monitoring teams to ensure compliance and enforcement of the warning strike.
Also speaking to newsmen, the branch Secretary, Comrade Engineer Chinedu Umembamalu, noted that the rising cost of living across the country necessitated a renegotiation of the 2009 FG/NAAT agreement, which, he said, has enshrined a periodic 5-years review of their salary structure to meet the present realities.
Umembamalu complained that Federal Government has reneged on reviewing the salaries even after thirteen years, thus placing their members on the same salary structure for this long despite the rising inflation.
He also complained that Laboratories in universities cannot support the economic drive of the country through robust research as they have remained unfunded without the necessary equipment to support effective learning.
Umembamalu said government has failed to release the necessary approval circular to enable universities to implement their CONTISS 14 & 15 career structure.
Reacting to non-payment of members’ salaries, he expressed worry that the Federal Government had neglected the autonomy of the universities as enshrined in the University Establishment Act – to hire and fire, which has resulted in non-payment of its over 400 branch members for over 2-years despite the traumatic experience occasioned by the present economic hardship.
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