SSANU, NASU to halt ongoing strike

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of educational and associated institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), have put its ongoing strike on hold for a month.

This was disclosed in a statement jointly signed by Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, national president of SSANU, and Prince Peters Adeyemi, general secretary of NASU, on November 4, 2024.

The unions asked their members to return to work on November 5, 2024.

This is reportedly attributed to the payment of one month of the four-month salary on November 1, 2024.

According to Diaspora Digital Media, the JAC of SSANU and NASU embarked on an indefinite strike over its four months of withheld salary on October 28, 2024.

Since then, operations have been suspended in colleges all around the nation.

The statement further disclosed that an irreversible commitment from the Federal Government that the two months of the four months of delayed salary will be paid in staggered fashion was the result of a high-level engagement.

The statement reads in part:

“Arising from the above and in view of the level of commitment exhibited by the new minister and the leadership of the Department of State Services, the leadership of JAC, after several contacts and other patriotic considerations, hereby directs that the ongoing indefinite strike be suspended for one- month effective Tuesday, 5th November 2024.

“Branch leaders of both NASU and SSANU are hereby directed to convene a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 4th November 2024 and intimate members of these developments and urge them to resume work on Tuesday, 5th November 2024”, it read.

The statement added that during the industrial struggle: “We have had several extensive and exhaustive deliberations with the officials of the federal government of Nigeria including the new minister of education, the minister of finance, the outgoing minister of state for education, the permanent secretary, federal ministry of education, the accountant-general of the federation and the leadership of the Department of State Services.

“The national leadership of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU acknowledges and commends our members in the universities and inter-university centres for their unwavering resolve, unrelenting determination and steadfast support for the ongoing strike action.”

According to the statement, the remaining two months’ worth of talks, the N50 billion in earned allowances, the 25–35% arrears, and the wage award had all been reviewed and were now being discussed.

Among other things, the unions are calling for the implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government, better compensation, earned allowances, and the payment of the four months’ worth of delayed earnings according to report.

The federal government through the ministry of labour and employment, invoked the “No Work, No Pay” policy when the four university-based unions went on a protracted strike in 2022.

Earlier: Ongoing strike negotiation

The federal government invited the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities to discuss the ongoing strike on October 31, 2024, at 11 A. M.

Mr. Abdussobur Salaam, the vice-president of SSANU, reportedly revealed that the union had received an official invitation from the federal government.

“We received a formal invitation last night.

“The meeting is scheduled for 11 am today.

“It will be presided over by the minister of state for education and will be held in the minister’s conference room”, he stated.

Earlier, the unions under JAC began an indefinite strike over four months of unpaid salaries, which resulted in the suspension of university activities nationwide.

Top university officials, including registrars, bursars, and vice chancellors, have also not received their pay.

This has further impacted university operations, according to Mohammed Ibrahim, national president of SSANU.

98% of members complied with the strike, he added, and they won’t return to work until their demands are met.

He said: “It is a long-term battle because this strike also involves vice-chancellors, bursars, registrars, and other senior administrators who were not paid.

“The impact is significant, and no one from the government has reached out to us.

“We have withdrawn our services, and our members are resolute they will not return to work until all salaries are paid”, he added.

He continued by saying that the strike’s reported 98 percent adherence rate was encouraging.

The unions are demanding, among other things, the payment of the four months’ worth of overdue wages, improved pay, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

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