Nigerian Govt. Meeting With Universities’ Non-Academic Workers’ Unions Botched

The Joint Action Committee, JAC, of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU; Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU; and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, refused to attend a meeting with the federal government scheduled for 3 p.m. on Monday
The unions said they were not aware of the meeting called to avert the strike by the unions which began today.
Meanwhile the spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere, who confirmed that a closed-door meeting with the unions was scheduled for 3 p.m. on Monday, later said it has been postponed to Thursday noon.
The official itinerary of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, also indicated he was to meet with the unions at the said time.
But in an interview, the National Public Relations Officer of SSANU, Abdussobur Salaam, said the unions did not get an invite to any such meeting.
“As far as I know, no letter has been written and we have not received any,”Mr Salaam said.
“We don’t have an invitation,” he stressed when told of confirmation of the schedule.
The unions officially commenced a nationwide strike on Monday over demands for improved funding of universities and welfare of workers.