The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has given the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to settle five and a half months of withheld salaries or risk a nationwide withdrawal of services by its members nationwide.
This resolution was made during NAAT’s 56th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, held in Taraba State.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, and signed by NAAT President Ibeji Nwokoma, the union warned it would not be responsible for the consequences if the government failed to meet their demands after the expiration of the ultimatum, which began on September 30.
The letter, titled “Notice of 21-Day Ultimatum to Embark on Industrial Action,” was also copied to the Nigeria Labour Congress and the National Universities Commission.
Among the outstanding issues listed by NAAT were: payment of arrears for omitted members under the minimum wage (April 2019–January 2020); settlement of arrears related to 25% and 35% salary increments (January–December 2023); as well as the poor state of university laboratories, workshops, and outdated equipment.
NAAT also reminded the government of the unresolved matters that led to a previous industrial action in March 2022, which ended in August 2022, following meetings with the then Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
Despite these discussions, the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NAAT agreement has yet to be concluded.
The union expressed discontent over the continued non-payment of withheld salaries, citing the rejection of the Federal Government’s “No-Work-No-Pay” policy, which NAAT deemed unfair given the adherence to legal processes under the Trade Union Act.
Additionally, NAAT criticised the selective payment of arrears to other unions, leaving its members unpaid.
NAAT has made it clear that failure to resolve these issues within the three-week deadline will result in immediate industrial action.
