Why we called off strike — NASU, SSANU

The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) have explained the reasons for calling off the industrial action embarked upon by the two unions alongside the Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) since February, 2022.

Speaking in a press statement, NASU and SSANU national leaders said the move is to allow a two-month window for the Federal Government to salvage its promises.

It could be recalled that the unions suspended the strike action following series of engagements with the Honourable Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu.

The leadership expressed satisfaction that government has committed itself to agreeing to respect the agreements that have been reached at the meetings, saying it is honourable to give government the benefit of the doubt.

It, however, said that the move is not a total discontinuation of the strike, rather, a two months window to the government to actualize the agreements that have been reached.

It noted that the “two months window is in the nature of a ceasefire and does not represent a closure on the industrial action”.

NASU and SSANU expressed hope that the assurance made by the Education Minister will ensure an end to the ongoing impasse and that the two months opportunity is enough for actions to be taken and the entire matter laid to rest.

The leadership thanked Nigerians, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and affiliates, the Media and all stakeholders in the Nigerian Educational system for solidarity.

It also them to prevail on government to keep to its own side of the bargain in the interest of peace and universities and inter-university centres.

In view of the above, NASU and SSANU members are hereby directed to resume duties on Wednesday, 24th August, 2022.

The statement reads in full:

“Nigerians would recall that the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU embarked on a National Industrial Action on 27th March, 2022.

The National Industrial Action was for an initial two week period, but owing to the nature of response which we considered almost nonexistent, had to be renewed for another two weeks, leading to another one month and subsequently three months to allow concrete decisions to be taken on our demands.

The purpose of the strike which entered it’s 146 days today was to drive home our demands for the following;

1. Renegotiation of our 2009 agreements with the Federal Government;

2. The inconsistencies occasioned by IPPIS and our demand for replacement of the payment platform with the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS);

3. Non-payment of earned allowances;

4. Payment of arrears of National Minimum wage;

5. Release of white papers on visitation panel reports;

6. Usurpation of headships of non-teaching units in clear violation of establishment procedures;

7. Full reinstatement of staff school teachers in line with the National Industrial Court Judgement;

8. Poor funding and governance of state universities.

In the course of the industrial action, we had engaged with various organs of government including the Presidency represented by the Chief of Staff to the President. We had also had meetings with the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Honourable Minister of Education and heads of various governmental agencies in order to ensure a speedy resolution of the impasse.

As responsible unions, we have always guided ourselves with the principle that in a collective bargaining, no party takes all and no party should lose all. We are not deluded in any Winner takes all philosophy but a consideration for what is best for our members, what is best for our Nigerian University System and indeed what is best for the Nigerian nation.

This strike would have been avoidable if both parties, the government and the union(s) had kept to their parts of the bargain. Unfortunately the bane of industrial harmony in the University system has been the issue of not honouring agreements freely entered into.

Today, after series of engagements with the Honourable Minister of Education and having considered the issue that led to the strike, and having satisfied ourselves that government, this time around, has committed itself to agreeing to respect the agreements that have been reached at the meetings, we believe that it is only honourable that we give the government the benefit of the doubt while the needful is being done at the government’s end.

To this end, we hereby inform you of a two months window given to the government to actualize the agreements that have been reached. The two months window is in the nature of a ceasefire and does not represent a closure on the industrial action.

It is our sincere prayer, given the assurance made by the Honourable Minister of Education and our commitment to ensure an end to the ongoing impasse, that the two months opportunity will suffice for actions to be taken and the entire matter laid to rest.

We wish to thank all Nigerians, the Nigeria Labour Congress and affiliates, the Media and all stakeholders in the Nigerian Educational system for their various roles so far and plead with them to continue to prevail on government to play its own side of the bargain in the interest of peace in our Universities and Inter-university Centres.

In view of the above, NASU and SSANU members are hereby directed to resume duties on Wednesday, 24th August, 2022.

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