Barring any last-minute changes, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress will today July 26, hold a nationwide rally in solidarity with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Last week, the NLC announced its plans to stage solidarity rallies in all the state capitals while the mega rally would take place in Abuja on Wednesday, July 27, to pressure the Federal Government to meet ASUU’s demands.
The lecturers have downed tools since February 14 this year to pressure the Federal government to meet their demands which include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution platform for the payment of salaries, and allowances of university lecturers.
About 40 NLC affiliates, including aviation, bank, oil and gas, electricity and construction workers are expected to participate in the solidarity rallies
Confirming that the rallies will still hold today, the Head of Information and Public Affairs, NLC, Benson Upah, said all workers were expected to take part in the street protest.
‘’Oh sure. Why not? You know there’s a difference between a rally and a strike. What we are doing is a rally. It’s different from a strike.
A rally does not necessarily mean that they have to shut down places. So a rally is different from a strike. All I know is that it is a rally, not strike action.”he said