Universities likely to embark on a fresh strike

Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities will begin a five-day warning strike from Monday, August 19, following alleged delay of the Federal Government in addressing their grievances.

One of the contentious areas is the Earned Allowances which the non-teaching staff unions claimed they were shortchanged in the sharing formula.

They said that out of the N23 billion released to the four unions in the university, the Academic Staff Union of Universities allegedly took over about eighty per cent of the money, leaving only twenty per cent for the three unions.

They also lamented the inability of government to obey court judgment, especially the judgment of the Industrial Court in 2016 that directed government to reinstate sacked workers of Staff Schools, which had not been complied with and the re-negotiation of the 2009 agreement.

The National Public Relations Officer of SSANU, Mr Salaam Abdussobur, in a statement on Friday, said the one week strike would commence on Monday.

He said, “Based on poor response from the federal government, it is inevitable that a one-week strike action shall be held as from Monday 19th to Friday 23rd August. This is following the expiration of the 14 days ultimatum given to the Federal Government.

“We met with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education led by the Permanent Secretary last week. While the meeting appeared successful on its face value, the resolutions are yet to be backed up by any correspondence or digest as agreed at the meeting

“This is not the first time that meetings would be held and we will take them by their words only to be disappointed by their actions.

“Our members, being our principals, have contended that for all decisions reached with government, there must be a level of corresponding actions that show their sincerity and commitment to those decisions. If the actions do not correspond, we must continue with our agitations.

“So, a five-day warning, being part of the activities lined up in our agitations, have been resolved to proceed between 19th to 23rd.

“After the warning strike, another review shall be made which will determine the way forward,” he said.