The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) made the call in a message to mark the 2026 May Day celebration on Friday in Abuja.
The two labour unions demanded immediate government’s intervention to prevent escalation of industrial tensions in the education sector nationwide.
The theme of the 2026 May Day celebration was “Insecurity, Poverty: Bane of Decent Work.”
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) had on Thursday slated indefinite strike to begin on Friday over unresolved demands with government.
TUC President, Mr Festus Osifo, expressed concern over stalled agreements and unresolved demands of NASU and SSANU, saying that prolonged delays could trigger disruption of academic activities across federal universities nationwide.
“We are worried that these unresolved issues are dragging for too long without concrete resolution. Government must act now to avoid a breakdown of industrial harmony in the university system,” he said.
Osifo noted that continued delay in addressing the issues could severely affect academic stability, urging government to engage labour unions urgently to prevent looming industrial unrest in universities.
He urged the government to expedite renegotiation processes and address pending salary arrears and allowances, adding that industrial peace in the education sector must be prioritised for national stability and development.
He also condemned the continued withholding of salaries and delays in payment of arrears, describing them as unjust and capable of escalating tensions within the university system if not urgently addressed.
“We urge the Federal Government to correct anomalies in the payment of earned allowances and ensure fair treatment of all categories of university workers without further delay to restore confidence,” he said.
He also said failure to act swiftly on the demands of non-teaching staff unions could lead to avoidable industrial action across federal universities nationwide, with serious consequences for academic calendars and students.
Also, the NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, said non-teaching staff were critical to the effective functioning of universities and deserve improved welfare and timely resolution of outstanding labour disputes.
Ajaero said that repeated breakdowns in negotiations have continued to undermine stability in the tertiary education sector, calling for sincerity, commitment, and accountability from government negotiators in discussions.
“We urge all parties to return to the negotiation table in good faith to prevent further disruption to academic and administrative activities in public universities across the country,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Organised labour’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights while maintaining industrial harmony, but warned that patience should not be taken for granted by authorities handling labour matters.(NAN)
