NAAT begins three-day warning strike on Wednesday

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has said it will begin a three-day warning strike on Wednesday, March 20, over the non-payment of four months withheld salaries.

Recall that in October 2023, Bola Tinubu directed that the university workers who embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022 should be paid for the four months they were not paid salaries within the period they were on strike. While members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities have been paid for the four months as directed by the president, members of NAAT are yet to be paid.

NAAT president, Ibeji Nwokoma, explained in a statement that the decision to embark on the warning strike was sanctioned 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, therefore, called on the Federal Government to do the needful or be held responsible for any disruption of academic activities in universities.