By Dele Moses, Ilorin
Chairman of the University of Ilorin chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Moyosore Ajao, has given reasons why the union does not allow the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to negotiate on its behalf in trade disputes.
Moyosore said ASUU has its peculiarities which the NLC may not understand to be able to negotiate on its behalf. He added that a second reason was that ASUU was not pleased with the manner the NLC leadership conduct affairs of the Congress.
He stated this at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), themed, “Results Oriented Unionism in a democratic Setting.”
The don said that ASUU has no apology for any union leaders who wine and dine with government.
He said, “We have peculiarities of our profession that the NLC might not fully understand and you cannot negotiate if you don’t know the peculiarities and the challenges of the association. Secondly, we’re not happy with leadership of the NLC in some of the ways and manner they have coordinated affairs of the union. So, ASUU has its own leadership but we’re affiliated to the NLC. We have our own leadership that deals with our own responsibilities.
“Every time we meet with the government for negotiation, NLC is always represented. But they can only come in to hold a watching brief. I cannot negotiate your marriage and children with you when I am not part of the marriage but I can come as a moderator to ensure things are done normally. NLC cannot take the responsibility of the leadership of the ASUU to say they want to negotiate for it.
“ASUU can no longer trust leaders of the NLC who have sold out. Some of them are even richer than some governors. So, I have no apology for those who wine and dine with government and share national cake with political leaders. ASUU has no apology for that”, he said.
Ajao said ASUU does not fight every successive government in the country, but “only challenges every government not to destroy educational system of the nation.”
He advised trade unions in the country to allow principle and ideas to be their watchword while demanding for their rights from their employers.
In his speech, the national president of the NUAHP, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, represented by the deputy national president (South), Comrade Victor Olusegun, said members of the union faced greater risks of exposure to COVID-19 pandemic and called on governments to be more concerned about the welfare of workers.