ASUU will appeal court order to end strike – Falana

The  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will appeal a court ruling which directed the union to call off its nationwide strike, its lawyer. Mr Femi Falana, has said.

Falana, who represented the union at the industrial court along with other senior lawyers, said the ruling would be challenged at the court of appeal.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 to demand improved funding for universities, a review of lecturers’ salaries and allowances and changing the mode of payment.

Several meetings between ASUU and the Federal Government have ended in deadlock.

Consequently, the Federal Government went to the national industrial court to challenge the strike.

Delivering a ruling on Wednesday, Polycarp Hamman, the judge, granted the Federal Government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike.

The judge ordered members of the union to resume work pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

He held that the strike is detrimental to public university students who cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions.