The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have threatened a total and indefinite strike in the country’s education sector.
The NASU and SSANU Joint Action Committee (JAC) stated this in a statement on Wednesday, amid the unions’ ongoing warning strike.
They argued that the decision was essential since the administration had failed to address the concerns that had prompted the warning strike.
“We had written no less than 10 letters or reminders to the government to no avail, not even an acknowledgement,” the communique read. “It was at the end of all these reminders with no acknowledgement by the government that we were left with no other resort but to embark on a two-week warning strike.
“Prior to the strike, due process was duly followed, and the notices were issued in line with the extant laws. Shamefully and painfully, there was no attempt by the Government to intercept or even invite the Unions to a meeting.
“This aloof and contemptuous attitude of Government further incensed our members who resolved that following the failure of Government to even invite the leaderships for a meeting, the strike should be extended by another two weeks before an indefinite and total strike is declared.
“As of today, the two weeks extension is getting to the middle and with no response insight from the government, we may be left with no resort but to embark on an indefinite and total strike. This is gradually becoming unavoidable and inevitable.”
Some of the issues that led to the industrial action, according to the unions, include problems of inconsistencies in payment with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS), non-payment of earned allowances, and non-payment of arrears of national minimum wage and consequential adjustment, among others.
NASU and SSANU faulted the government for failing to implement an agreement it freely entered into with the unions.
They also called on Nigerians and stakeholders in the university system to prevail on the government to honour the agreement to avoid a ‘total breakdown of industrial harmony in the universities and inter-university centres.
Read the full text of the communique below:
JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE OF NASU AND SSANU PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 13TH APRIL, 2022 AT BOLTON WHITE HOTEL, ABUJA
Our friends from the Press, this meeting has been called to acquaint you with matters leading to and arising from the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
This strike, like others before it, was borne out of the insensitivity and non-responsive nature of the Government and its officials to matters affecting the members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and by extension, the entire University System.
You will recall that the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU had embarked on an industrial action that started on Friday, February 5th, 2021, and culminated in a Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed on Thursday, February 20th, 2021. Prior to this, we had embarked on a fourteen-day warning strike which culminated in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, 20th October 2020.
It is pertinent to note that the issues that led to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of October 2020 and the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of February 2021 are the same issues that have led to this strike action of March 2022. It needs to be said that these same issues had led to previous Collective Bargaining Agreements with the Government in 2017, and 2018 before the agreements reached in 2020 and 2021.
Going by this, therefore, it is easy to conclude that the recurring cause of industrial unrest in our Universities and Inter-University Centres, especially between the JAC of NASU and SSANU and the Federal Government, has been the total disrespect and contemptuous disregard for Collective Bargaining Agreements by the Government.
What are the issues that have led to these strike actions?
The problem of inconsistencies in Payment with IPPIS;
Non-Payment of Earned Allowances;
Non-Payment of Arrears of National Minimum Wage and its Consequential Adjustment;
Poor Funding of State Universities;
Delay in Renegotiation of the 2009 Agreements;
Non-RELEASE of White Papers of Visitation Panels;
Usurpation of Headship of Non-Teaching Units in clear violation of Conditions of Service and Establishment Procedures; and
Non-Payment of Retirement Benefits to Outgone Members.