By Gbenga Akingbule.
National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) the University of Maiduguri Branch, on Wednesday, commenced a 3-day warning strike to press home the agreement reached with the Federal Government in 2022.
Gatekeepers News reports that NAAT had embarked on an industrial action on the 21st day of March 2022 but unfortunately, according to their members, no meaningful gain was made after the five-month-old strike was called off.
This time around, Members of NAAT, most of them dressed in their laboratory white jackets, holding placards and banners walked within and outside UNIMAID in protest and calling on the federal government to honour its agreements.
Led by the Chairman of the UNIMAID Branch Comrade Yusuf Bulus Dalbatu the union stated that they are embarking on a 3-day warning strike to call on the Federal government to “Upgrade obsolete equipment and improve the dilapidated structural state of laboratories in our citadel of higher learning”
Other demands according to the Chairman include “Full implementation of 2009 agreement, Payment of outstanding earned allowance, Release of enabling circular for carrier elongation for CONTISS 14 and 15, Re-negotiation of the aforementioned 2009 agreement.”
NAAT revealed that during” the course of this warning industrial dispute, all laboratories will be shut down, there will be no conducting and teaching of practicals no project works and no conducting of research works.”
The Union expressed dismay over efforts and “reminders, in the form of written correspondence from the Union, sadly the government remain insensitive to our plights. They left us with no choice.
“The Union unanimously decided to abide by the outcome of the Virtual conference held on the 13th March 2024, and the outcome of the branch congress resolution held
“On the 18th March, 2024. The branch has decided to embark on a three (3) days warning strike commencing from the 20 March 2024, terminating on 22 March 2024,” NAAT UNIMAID Branch Chairman said.
