Unity Colleges Staff Defy FG: King's College Strike Continues

• Staff of Federal Unity Colleges nationwide have defied a government order to resume academic activities, continuing an indefinite strike.
• The industrial action is primarily driven by an unresolved dispute over the concession of King's College, Lagos, to its Old Boys' Association.
• The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) rejects a September 16 agreement, alleging the Ministry of Education breached prior understandings and negotiated with unauthorized parties.
• Union leaders have directed members to maintain the strike, form monitoring teams, and disregard any counter-directives until the King's College situation is reversed.
• The ongoing dispute highlights significant tensions regarding the enforceability of labor agreements and the management of public educational institutions in Nigeria.

The union maintains that the industrial action will persist indefinitely until the issues surrounding the King's College concession are fully resolved.

Staff across Nigeria's Federal Unity Colleges have collectively rejected a recent directive from the Federal Government to resume academic activities. On Monday, union members were observed stationed outside school gates in both Lagos and Ibadan, while parents largely kept their children at home, signaling widespread adherence to the ongoing industrial action. This defiance underscores a persistent dispute over the concession of King's College, Lagos, with the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) maintaining an indefinite strike.

The ASCSN, representing the college staff, had previously ignored an initial resumption date of September 13, firmly stating their position: "No reversal, no resumption." This stance was reinforced by a September 18 letter issued by the union to various branch and chapter chairmen, as well as state secretaries. The communication explicitly instructed members to cease all academic and administrative functions, establish monitoring teams to ensure compliance, and disregard any counter-directives from school administrations or Ministry officials.

At King's College itself, Sam Enang, the Chairman of the ASCSN chapter, confirmed that the institution had not reopened, with students remaining at home. He reiterated that the strike had not been called off, directly linking its continuation to the unresolved concession of King's College. Enang emphasized that staff had received instructions to remain on indefinite strike until the situation surrounding the college's management was reversed.

The Federal Government had attempted to resolve the impasse, issuing a September 18 memo to principals of Unity Colleges, which directed a resumption of academic activities. This directive was predicated on an alleged agreement reached with labor unions regarding the dispute. The government's claim stemmed from a September 16 meeting in Abuja, where education ministers and representatives of education-sector labor unions convened amidst protests and industrial action over the concession of the 117-year-old King's College.

During this meeting, a five-point agreement was reportedly reached. Key provisions included the immediate suspension of industrial action by the unions, a government assurance against staff victimization for participating in protests, a two-week pause in the planned management takeover of King's College by its Old Boys' Association, the formation of a seven-member committee to review and negotiate the government's agreement with the old students, and the redeployment of police personnel from the college premises. However, a faction of the ASCSN, led by Shehu Mohammed, swiftly declared this agreement non-binding.

This faction accused the Ministry of Education of subsequently negotiating with individuals it claimed lacked the authority to represent the association. Furthermore, the union's September 18 letter explicitly accused the Ministry of undermining a separate September 14 agreement that had been reached with both ASCSN and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. Sam Enang, speaking from King's College, further alleged that the Ministry of Education had breached the agreement by deploying police to the college, resulting in staff being assaulted and a staff member's child being taken away, in addition to negotiating with an unauthorized body.

This ongoing industrial action by Unity Colleges staff, particularly the ASCSN King's College concession dispute, represents a significant challenge to governmental authority and the enforceability of labor agreements within Nigeria's education sector. The union's insistence that the industrial action will persist indefinitely until the issues surrounding the King's College concession are fully resolved highlights a deep-seated mistrust and a perceived breach of faith by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The dispute raises critical questions about the legal standing of agreements made between government bodies and labor unions, especially when different factions within a union dispute the mandate of negotiators. The allegations of police misconduct and negotiation with unauthorized parties further complicate the Federal Ministry of Education labor dispute, potentially setting precedents for future industrial actions and the legal recourse available to aggrieved parties. The involvement of the King's College Old Boys' Association agreement in the concession of a public institution also brings into focus the regulatory framework governing public-private partnerships in the education sector.

As the Nigeria education sector industrial action continues, its resolution will be closely watched by legal and compliance professionals. The outcome could significantly influence the enforceability of government-union agreements, the legal boundaries of industrial action in essential services, and the risks associated with public-private partnerships in the country. The union maintains that the industrial action will persist indefinitely until the issues surrounding the King's College concession are fully resolved.

This article highlights a significant labor dispute involving a government directive, union defiance, and alleged breach of agreement concerning a public institution's concession. Lawyers and compliance officers should monitor the resolution of this conflict, as it could set precedents for the enforceability of government-union agreements, the legal standing of industrial action in essential services, and the risks associated with public-private partnerships (concessions) in Nigeria.

Source: Original reporting via Punch Newspaper