Research institutes begin strike over FG’s breach of agreement

By : Collins Olayinka, Abuja

Date: 14 November 2017 5:06am WAT

A picture taken on December 8, 2016 shows an empty and unstaffed ward at the Kisumu County Hospital in Kisumu. Kenyan medics and hospitals workers have embarked on a nationwide strike. Unions are demanding a 300-percent pay rise for doctors and 25- to 40-percent pay rise for nurses that they say was agreed in a 2013 collective bargaining agreement, but has yet to be implemented. Several patients have died as a result of lack of care in public hospitals, many of which are completely unstaffed. Kenyans have been directed to private clinics that are unaffordable to the majority of the population. / AFP PHOTO / James KAYEE

Workers of research institutes and allied institutions in the country have begun an indefinite strike over Federal Government’s non-implementation of agreement between them.

The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU), said their industrial action commences today.

They had accused the Federal Government of paying lip service to its research for development slogan.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved workers yesterday in Abuja, Chairman, Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions (JORAISU), Peters Adeyemi, who also doubles as the General Secretary of NASU, said the strike began in the early hours of today.

Adeyemi stated that the decision of the three unions under JORAISU to embark on a fresh strike was taken after the Federal Government ignored a 15-day strike ultimatum, which was issued on October 30, 2017.

“This has been our plight on the issues in dispute with government and currently all the workers in the Research and Allied Institutions are eager to resume the suspended strike at the expiration of the ultimatum on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.”

“This became expedient since government has not responded positively to our demand to pay the 12 months salary arrears on Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS) and resolve other issues as agreed upon in the Presidential Committee interim report.”

The unions urged the Federal Government to respect the interim report of the President Committee and pay the 12 months salary arrears on CONRAISS and stop paying lip service to Research and Allied Institutions issues in Nigeria.