The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), whose members oppose the federal government’s implementation of the “no work, no pay” policy, has threatened to start another strike.
Remember that on Friday, October 16, 2022, ASUU called off its eight-month strike, which had shut down the nation’s public institutions in protest at the partial implementation of agreements it had made with the Federal Government a few years before.
The federal government maintained on enforcing the “No Work, No Pay” policy when the ASUU strike was in effect and university instructors were absent from their job stations.
Last Thursday, November 3, 2022, however, things took a new turn when it was discovered that the government only paid the university teachers half-month salaries.
In response to the development, the ministry of labor claimed that ASUU members received their October salary pro rata rather than half of what was widely reported in the media.
Because they cannot be paid for work that has not been completed, the ministry claims that pro-rata was used.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, pleaded with ASUU members to exercise patience regarding the Federal Government’s half pay on November 7, 2022.
He promised the professors in a statement that long-term solutions to their problems were being found, citing how President Muhammadu Buhari was handling their most recent protest.
The government’s no work, no pay policy was justified by Gbajabiamila as being based on reducing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial activities.
After the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on November 8, 2022, the union announced that it will not go on strike but instead use other tactics to promote their goals.
Members of the University of Lagos chapter of the union shut down the campus on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, by marching from the Julius Berger Auditorium to the main gate. They also skipped class because it was a lecture-free day.
They urged Nigerians to tell the FG that any attempt to discriminate against faculty would be fatal to the university system and would paralyze it.
Dele Ashiru, who condemned the “partial” payment of his October salary to ASUU UNILAG President Dr. Member, accused the government of trying to turn Nigerian academics into temporary workers.
Noting that the protest was intended to prevent any form of academic crisis, Ashiru said:
“The actions of the unions in suspending the strike were a manifestation of their trust in the judiciary, other bodies and government agencies to always put the national interest above all other considerations. That’s what we believe in as united patriots. The unions are using every means to negotiate with the government, but they continue to regret that the weapons irritate us and keep us in abject poverty.
“The government has starved us and violated the agreements that have been in place since 2009, which are UNESCO standards, recommendations of the Nimi Briggs Commission. The professor said their request to the FG was that the ASUU’s request must first be met: full payment of October’s salary, payment of eight months’ unpaid salary, UTAS
“If the government really cares and strives to develop the education sector, it will respond quickly to workers’ demands. will respond,” he said.
The coordinator of the civil society group Joint Action Front, Abiodun Alem, which participated in the protests, said the government’s goal was to close the education sector.
“The federal government always makes excuses as to why it cannot fund education. But the same government has spent billions of naira on other costs and benefits for many politicians.
“We do not fully agree with the President on funding higher education. Trying to commercialize education is one of the reasons the government is fighting the ASUU. If we allow the full commercialization of , it will affect ordinary people’s children as many working-class children drop out of school,” he said.
Aremu said trade unions would join forces and declare a mass mobilization and strike.
He added:
. “We need to create a united front for all who suffer under the current system.
“If the government is allowed to escape this attack on the ASUU, it will help other people in every sector of the economy. It will affect all workers. What we need now more than ever is working class unity against attacks on politics and the poor. ”
