ASUU seeks Nigerians’ cooperation, legal solutions on stand-off with FG

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed for the understanding of students, parents and concerned Nigerians as it continued to explore legal options to resolve ongoing industrial dispute with the Federal Government without compromising the interests and welfare of the country’s intellectuals.

This is as the union described the Federal Government’s decision to pay lecturers half salaries in October as an attempt to reduce them to causal workers.

The union said government’s pro-rata payment negated all known rules of engagement world over in any contract of employment for academics.

ASUU stated this in a communique, yesterday, in Abuja after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting where it called its disputes with the Federal Government as “avoidable crisis.”

The meeting was held to decide the next line of action following  the payment of half salaries to members of the union after it suspended its eight month industrial action on October 14 in obedience to the order of the National Industrial Court and intervention of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

READ ALSO:

• EFCC appeals contempt judgment committing Bawa to prison
• Wife Begs Court To Teach Husband Lesson For Defiling 10-Year-Old Daughter
• FG plan mass prisoners’ release, writes governors
• Scarcity: Fuel Can’t Sell Below N200 Per Litre – Marketers

While the Federal Government explained it paid the lecturers for the number of days they worked, the union insisted on getting full salary payment for the eight months it was on strike. It was learnt that lecturers in some universities have threatened another strike until their full salaries are fully paid.

However, ASUU was silent on whether it would embark on another round of strike.

The union said it suspended its industrial action as a display of manifest trust in the judiciary and other institutions and organs of government to always put national interest above all other considerations.

“This, we believe, as a union of thinkers, intellectuals, and patriots, will not only aid the process of amicable resolution of the crisis but will also set the tone for smooth industrial relations between Government and Nigerian workers at large.

“Unfortunately, the response of the government towards ASUU’s demonstration of trust was the so-called ‘pro-rata’ payment for eighteen days as the October 2022 salaries of academics thereby portraying them as daily paid workers! This is not only an aberration but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment for academics the world over.

“At an emergency meeting of the ASUU’s National Executive Committee held on Monday, November 7, 2022, the union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike.”

Sun