Varsity workers suspend strike as unions, FG sign agreement

University workers have suspended their three-week old industrial action after their unions have signed a memorandum of action with the Federal Government on their demands.

The Joint Action Committee of the non-teaching staff unions of universities, which announced the suspension of the strike on Thursday, said it would take effect from midnight of February 26.

The JAC non-teaching staff leaders comprise representatives of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of the Universities (NASU).

The union conveyed the decision during a media briefing held after holding a conciliatory meeting with the Federal Government.

It said that it agreed to suspend the nationwide strike after reaching an agreement with the government.

NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, who spoke on behalf of the union, said their demands had been harmonised to the satisfaction of both parties.

He said that they would continue to monitor the agreements reached with timeline to ensure that the government would implement its own side of the bargain.

“We had eight items which we negotiated and which formed the basis for our ongoing national strike. Our members in our various campuses in the universities and inter-universities centres had appraised the draft MoU and then raised the few observations, but they granted us the mandate that if we are able to meet with the government which we have been able to do today and if the leadership is satisfied, we can go ahead and suspend the strike.

“So we have held the meeting with the government side and those areas that needed to be harmonized has been harmonized to the satisfaction of both parties and resulting from that development, we have agreed that the ongoing national strike in universities and inter universities centres should be suspended with effect from 12 midnight tomorrow which is Friday 26, February.

“We use this opportunity to appreciate our members for their commitment in this struggles, this strike is suspended and we are not mindful of the fact that we will continue to monitor the agreements that has been reached which has timeline and we hope that the FG we implement his own side of the bargain.”

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had earlier spoken with journalists on the outcome of their meeting, describing the deliberations as smooth.

He said, “If you remember, this is about the fourth negotiation on the matter brought by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both unions and today’s deliberation has been very fruitful.

“We have issued a conciliation document, a Memorandum of Action (MOA) and the two unions will get back to their members today with the MoA.”