Federal Government has appealed to the Sixty-Seven research institutes under the aegies of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to suspend their ongoing strike for industrial harmony.
Director General, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu gave the appeal in an exclusive interview with our correspondent Lanre Omotoso in Ilorin.
Comrade Aremu said the union had embarked on similar strike in 2010 without much result, stressed the need to engage in negotiations.
The Director General of MINILS emphasized that Nigeria has one of the best industrial relations in the world, which include freedom of association, freedom to negotiate and union rights.
Also mediation by Ministry of Labour, National Industrial Court, National Labour Advisory Council, Supreme Court and the Two Labour Committees of National Assembly to guarantee industrial peace.
He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had been managing industrial harmony by signing minimum wage Act without worker’s strike.
Comrade Aremu noted that MINILS under Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity is open to train employers and workers on how communication because of industrial harmony, eliminate casualization and non-respect for agreement.
It will be recalled that NASU down tools on October 8 after expiration of Fifteen days ultimatum to demand for implementation of agreement entered into in 2011.
The agreement was to ensure increase funding for research Institutions, stoppage of Sixty-Five years retirement age, insecurity and unsteady price of petroleum products.