Others are peculiar and earned allowances; adequate funding of research institutes and release of scheme/conditions of service.
A civic group, the Workers and Youth Solidarity Network, has said Nigerians should hold the President Muhammadu Buhari's regime responsible for the prolonged strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other labour unions across the country.
The group, in a statement issued on Monday by Dammy Owot, its secretary, described the Buhari regime as irresponsible and unresponsive to the demands of the three unions under the Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions (JORAISU).
The unions including the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU); Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) and the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI) had embarked on strike action since last October.
Some of their demands include payment of 12-month Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS) arrears of 53.37 per cent increase; withdrawal of circular on non-skipping of salary Grade Level 10 (NICN judgment in favour of trade unions and others); retirement age of 65 years for non-research staff as obtainable in the universities and others.
Others are peculiar and earned allowances; adequate funding of research institutes and release of scheme/conditions of service.
A statement from the Workers and Youth Solidarity Network urged the Buhari government to immediately meet the demands of the unions, so that activities in the affected institutions could restart.
The statement said, “The ruling class in Nigeria are responsible for this strike and Nigerians should place the blame on the irresponsible and non-responsive Buhari regime.
“To us in Workers and Youth Solidarity Network we know that the importance of research to the development of a nation can never be overemphasised. The crisis, therefore, is looting by different sections of the ruling class, that put little research in the research institutions.
“We call on the Federal Governments to immediately agree to the demands of the research workers and implement the 2010 agreement. The government has failed to offer a round table meeting with the striking unions.
“We call for unity and among the union and continue public rallies like the one they organised in Ibadan, Oyo State and in other parts of Nigeria last year. Such rallies are needed more to be replicated in all other parts of Nigeria where there are branches.
“Workers and Youth Solidarity Network holds strongly that in a globalised world, the role of research in an academic institution is significant for its sustainability and development, and it is important to have knowledge-driven growth based on innovation. The quest for knowledge is the basic principle behind research. Therefore, the Buhari regime has no reason to continue to treat research institutes with levity.
“If we have a formidable research institution, it will play important role in discovering new treatments such as ending COVID-19 and making sure that we can use existing treatments in the best possible ways.
“For us in Workers and Youth Solidarity Network, we demand that workers should unite to form a mass workers political alternative to build forces that can bring pro-working-class government to power with a socialist program. It's only when workers who are suffering fight for political power and build such movement that solution can be found to the crisis in education and research institute."