Violations
Striking lecturers told return to work or be sacked: On 17 January the Governing Council of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, ordered members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, to resume work or get sacked. ASUU went on
strike
strike
The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.
See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike
in October 2010, followed by NASU in December 2010, in protest at the refusal of the state government to honour the agreement reached between the Federal Government and the education workers’ unions ASUU, NASU, SSANU and NAAT. In some other universities the
strike
strike
The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.
See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike
was called off as the authorities agreed to implement the agreement. The ASUU did suspend its
strike
strike
The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.
See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike
to give the university more time to implement the agreement, but it failed to do so, and further strikes followed. The dispute remained unresolved by December.
Bank withdraws union recognition and dismisses 13 union activists: Management at the Union Bank of Nigeria, UBN, Plc, withdrew
recognition
recognition
The designation by a government agency of a union as the bargaining agent for workers in a given bargaining unit, or acceptance by an employer that its employees can be collectively represented by a union.
from its branch of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Union Bank Association of Senior Staff, UBASS, in January, claiming they were not registered in accordance with the law. The bank also dismissed 13 workers, claiming they had all committed “unethical acts”, but many believed the real reason behind the dismissals was their union activities. Other union members found themselves transferred to remote branches, for no justifiable reason. The Group Managing Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mrs Funke Osibodu claimed she had nothing against the NLC. However she was later quoted in a staff meeting threatening to dismiss any staff found to express interest in unionism or associate with the NLC. The NLC gave the bank a seven day ultimatum to withdraw its de-
recognition
recognition
The designation by a government agency of a union as the bargaining agent for workers in a given bargaining unit, or acceptance by an employer that its employees can be collectively represented by a union.
of ASSBIFI, and await the decision of the Industrial
Arbitration
arbitration
A means of resolving disputes outside the courts through the involvement of a neutral third party, which can either be a single arbitrator or an arbitration board. In non-binding arbitration, the disputing parties are free to reject the third party’s recommendation, whilst in binding arbitration they are bound by its decision. Compulsory arbitration denotes the process where arbitration is not voluntarily entered into by the parties, but is prescribed by law or decided by the authorities.
See conciliation, mediation
Panel (AIP) which was examining the legality of the union’s registration. When the bank did not abide by that deadline, the NLC announced week-long picket of the UBN, from 14 to 19 February. According to the NLC the bank then deployed security agencies, notably soldiers, to manhandle and hound union leaders many of whom had gone into hiding. Mrs. Osibodu reportedly boasted that she had deployed soldiers to guard all its branches across the country and ordered them to shoot-at-sight any worker who tried to
picketing
picketing
Demonstration or patrolling outside a workplace to publicise the existence of an industrial dispute or a strike, and to persuade other workers not to enter the establishment or discourage consumers from patronising the employer. Secondary picketing involves picketing of a neutral establishment with a view to putting indirect pressure on the target employer.
.
Harassment of union leaders: The Branch Chairman and other executive committee members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) found themselves the victims of victimisation. The Petroleum Equalisation Fund Management Board (PEF) began aggressive interference in union affairs following a successful PENGASSAN campaign forced PEF management to promote over 70% of its staff who had stagnated at the same grade for upwards of six years. PEF set up a panel to investigate union member activity in terms of their adherence to union rules, clearly not the jurisdiction of management, and a breach of union independence intended to undermine PENGASSAN. The union warned the PEF in June that it would face widespread industrial unrest if the victimisation continued.
Union leader and colleague arrested, beaten and imprisoned: Osmond Ugwu and Raphael Elobuike were arrested at a workers rally on 24 October 2011 in Enugu and detained on charges of the attempted murder of a policeman. The rally was held by public servants in protest over the dismissal of Mr. Ugwu, leader of the Enugu Workers’ Forum, a body created during recent
strike
strike
The most common form of industrial action, a strike is a concerted stoppage of work by employees for a limited period of time. Can assume a wide variety of forms.
See general strike, intermittent strike, rotating strike, sit-down strike, sympathy strike, wildcat strike
action to press for payment of the minimum wage. Ugwu and other workers had gathered at the Nigeria Labour Congress office for prayers when a combined team of soldiers, police and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) arrived, leading to the confrontation. During the clashes a policeman received head injuries for which he had to be hospitalised. The two arrested public servants were held in Enugu Federal Prison in South East Nigeria after reportedly being beaten and tortured during arrest and in police custody. They went to trial in December – after a judge refuse to hear the case in November – but journalists were banned from covering proceedings. Both men were still in prison at the end of the year.
Union members harassed as army takes over power facility: Troops that were deployed from 14 November to guard public power company installations nationwide began harassing, detaining then releasing members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). The union disputed the government’s claim that that troops were deployed to guard installations against terrorist attacks by the Islamic sect Boko Haram. The union believed that government deployed troops to ensure that the privatisation sale of the PHCN – still under negotiation - was pushed through. The NUEE called on its members to organise peaceful marches to protest at the non-payment of the 50% salary increment since June, as well as the harassment of union members by security officials.
