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  • BREAKING: SSANU, NASU members clash with security personnel during protest in Abuja

    BREAKING: SSANU, NASU members clash with security personnel during protest in Abuja

    Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and that of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) are currently gathered at the Unity Fountain Abuja, protesting the non payment of their four-month salaries.

    The protest is being led by the President of SSANU, Mohammed Aruna Ibrahim and General Secretary of NASU, Comrade Peters Adeyemi.

    The protesters are demanding the payment of their four months’ withheld salaries and the renegotiation of the 2010 agreement with the Federal Government among other demands.

    The unions as well as the Academic Staff Union of Universities had in 2022 embarked on a long strike. While SSANU and NASU had a four-month strike, the ASUU strike lasted eight months.

    However, President Bola Tinubu directed that the affected staff be paid four-month salaries, SSANU and NASU members claimed the wages were not paid, while ASUU members were paid.

    Both unions have instructed their members to stage a nationwide protest on July 9 across all state chapters, with a follow-up national protest scheduled for Abuja on Thursday.

    However, a mild drama ensued at the Unity Fountain as stern looking security personnel prevented the protesters from leaving the convergence point.

     

  • NASU, SSANU threaten strike, give 2-week ultimatum

    NASU, SSANU threaten strike, give 2-week ultimatum

    Two unions in tertiary institutions say they cannot guarantee industrial harmony if the federal government fails to pay their four months withheld salaries in two weeks.

    The unions are the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    The unions, under the Joint Action Committee (JAC), made their position known in a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on Thursday, in Abuja.

    The letter titled, “Re-Four months withheld salaries: Demand for immediate payment,” was signed by NASU General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi and SSANU President, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim.

    The unions, in the letter, recalled that the JAC of NASU and SSANU had embarked on a one week warning strike between March 18 and March 24.

    “This is to protest the denial of the arrears of four months salaries withheld between May and August 24, 2022.

    “Following series of letters and the assurances of the payment, we write to remind the Honourable Minister of our various letters, engagements, assurances towards the payment of the four (4) months withheld salaries of SSANU and NASU.

    “We wish to express our regrets and dismay that up till date, the withheld salaries have not been paid to our members.

    “We view it as an act of insincerity and neglect on the part of government to the yearnings and aspirations of our members,”it said.

    The unions said that the government had negated the spirit of collective bargaining and built distrust.

    They added that the deafening silence of government and failure to pay the withheld salaries was creating high level of agitation and contention among their members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.

    “This is such that we can no longer guarantee industrial peace and harmony on university campuses.

    “We, therefore, demand the immediate payment of the four months withheld salaries to our members not later than two weeks from the date of this correspondence, failing which we will be left with no option than to shut down the Universities and Inter-University Centres,”it said.

  • SSANU, NASU strike plunges UI into darkness

    SSANU, NASU strike plunges UI into darkness

    The University of Ibadan (UI) has been plunged into total darkness following the non-teaching staff unions’ strike.

    The strike was embarked upon on Monday by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) as directed by their national bodies.

    Speaking with NAN on Tuesday on the effects of the strike, the Chairman, SSANU, UI, Mr Rasak Omisore, said the union was forced to down tools to press home their demands.

    He said their agitations included unpaid four months’ salaries and funding of the universities, both at the federal and state levels.

    Omisore added that there would be no meaningful development in Nigeria if the funding of education took the back seat.

    “We are also talking about the constitution of governing councils for all the universities where their councils have been dissolved, as the importance of councils in universities cannot be underestimated.

    “We are expecting the Federal Government to invite the national council of our union to address the issues of our demands,” Omisore said.

    He said almost all the offices in the university were locked with members of staff in the administrative offices not on duty.

    “Yes, you see students on campus, and they are receiving their lectures because ASUU is not on strike, but the works and maintenance department is a very vital part of the university as there has neither been light nor water due to the strike.

    “Establishment offices are not working and Jaja is on skeletal duty,” the chairman said.

    Meanwhile, the leadership of UI Students’ Union, led by its President, Tobiloba Samuel, says it has met with SSANU to plead for the restoration of power in the hostels.

    Samuel, in an interview with NAN, called on the government to accede to the demands of the unions as students bear the brunt of the faceoff.

    “We have to come to the understanding that every member of the university community is very important and if the teaching staff, the non-teaching staff, and the students are not at the optimum level, we cannot have the effective academic environment that we need.

    “For the last 24 hours, students have been in great distress. We have not had light in 24 hours; meaning there is no water; amenities are not working, and some lecture halls are not open.

    “We are calling on them to do the needful to ensure that peace returns to our various campuses and not just the University of Ibadan,” Samuel said.

    He says the students stand in solidarity with the unions because the fight for a better education system is everybody’s business.

    Some of the students told NAN that they were receiving lectures and writing tests with lecturers making use of alternative classes like the postgraduate classrooms.

    However, the leadership and members of the unions enforced the strike at the UI maintenance department, the staff school, and the postgraduate school.

    Also, some gates serving as shorter routes, especially for the hostels, were closed, thus making the students to travel longer distances.

    The use of lecture halls, toilets, and other faculty facilities was also affected by the strike.

  • NLC reacts as FG appeals to SSANU, NASU to call off strike

    NLC reacts as FG appeals to SSANU, NASU to call off strike

    The Federal Government has appealed to the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to call off their seven-day warning strike.

    Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State, Labour and Employment made the appeal in a statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry on Monday in Abuja.

    It would be recalled that the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU had directed its members to embark on a seven- day warning strike over the non-payment of four months withheld salaries.

    Recall that the President Bola Tinubu had in October 2023, directed that the university workers that embarked on prolonged strike in 2022 should be paid four months.

    Recall also that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who were part of the unions that embarked on the strike had been paid their own withheld four months salaries.

    Onyejeocha also expressed displeasure at the action of the unions, which she described as a total disregard of Federal Government’s concerted effort to address the concern of the unions.

    According to her, the Ministry was not officially notified by the unions of their intention to proceed on a seven-day warning strike.

    “”This is contrary to the provisions of section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act.

    “The ministry got wind of the intended warning strike and it reached out to the leadership of the unions for an emergency meeting in order to avert the strike.

    “Unfortunately, a physical meeting could not be arranged between the unions and the federal government, but a tele-discussion took place between their leadership and the ministry,” she said.

    Onyejeocha said that consequently, the ministry suggested another date, Monday 18th March, for a proper conciliation meeting.

    She added that she believed that on the basis of that discussion, the intended strike would be put on hold pending the outcome of the meeting; but this date was rejected by the unions.

    The minister however, maintained that strike did not serve any useful purpose and should only be resorted to as a last option after exhausting every conciliation effort.

    Onyejocha appealed to SSANU and NASU to step back from their hard-line stance and meet the federal government at the table for conciliation.

    She however, appealed to all Nigerians to always take steps that were beneficial to the well-being of the country and the citizens.

    Pay NASU, SSANU withheld salaries to avoid academic drift – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the immediate payment of the withheld salaries of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU)and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President urged the Federal Government to pay the four months outstanding salaries to avoid drift in the academic sector.

    In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, the NLC President said at a time confidence was being restored to the public universities, the worst thing the government could do is to engineer another strike.

    It will be recalled that the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU had issued a circular to its members to proceed on seven-day warning strike from 18th of March over non-payment of the salaries as approved by President Bola Tinubu.

    The four months withheld salaries arose from the nationwide strike embarked upon by all unions in the public universities in the country.

    While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was paid the withheld salaries in full, NASU and SSANU were allegedly denied of the full payment.

    Ajaero said: “There has been no credible reason or explanation for withholding those salaries in the first place.

    “We recall this singular act plunged the members into indescribable hardship.

    “Much worse, it defies logic to try to subject members of these unions to discriminatory treatment.

    “By so doing government is clearly courting avoidable industrial dispute,” he said.

    The NLC President stressed that the effects of the strike on the parties would be unacceptably high, especially for students and parents.

    He, therefore, urged the government to expeditiously pay up the outstandings salaries

    “We advise government not to take for granted the maturity of these unions,” he said.

  • SSANU, NASU begin nationwide strike

    SSANU, NASU begin nationwide strike

    The leadership of both the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have begun nationwide strike today.

    The seven-day industrial action, according to a memo addressed to the branches of the unions and dated Friday, 15 March, is in fulfilment of the earlier threat and ultimatum issued to the Nigerian government by the unions over the unpaid withheld salaries of their members.

    The memo, which was issued by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both SSANU and NASU, and signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, urged the branch leaders to ensure total compliance to the directive.

    “Definitely, it (the strike) has already started,” SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, declared on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday.

    “As at today (Monday), all our workers in registry, bursary, works and maintenance, secruity, students’ affairs have withdrawn their services, and nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria and that will be the case for the next seven days until and unless the needful is done.”

    He lamented that no government representative has reached out to the non-academic unions and though some have reached out unofficially, their assurances cannot be taken to the bank.

    Ibrahim sensed some “saboteurs in his government” and wondered why President Bola Tinubu would give an instruction that members of varsity unions be paid 2022 arrears, and some government officials won’t fully comply.

    The SSANU President said the Labour Minister Nkiruka Onyejeocha has not reached out to the aggrieved unions despite that a seven-day notice was issued last Monday, a development he said was a departure to the responsiveness of the ex-Labour Minister Chris Ngige.

    Ibrahim said should the government fail to heed the demands of the unions after the seven-day warning strike which commenced today, SSANU and NASU would go back to their toolbox and decide the next line of action.

  • Pay our withheld salaries now – NASU charges Tinubu

    Pay our withheld salaries now – NASU charges Tinubu

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct prompt payment of members’ four months salaries currently being withheld.

    Mr Hassan Makolo, its National President, made the call during an emergency meeting of NASU branch chairmen and Inter-University Centres on Monday in Abuja.

    Makolo said that the call was imperative to ensure industrial harmony in the sector.

    He recalled that Tinubu had given a directive that the withheld salaries of the unions that embarked on strike during the last regime should be paid.

    According to him, it is no longer news that members of other unions had been paid the four months withheld salaries.

    “We went on strike that was forced on us by the government and we followed all due process.

    “We signed an Memorandum of Action (MoA), where it was agreed that no one will be victimised.

    “But the non-payment of the four months salaries arrears to us is victimisation.

    “I want to use this medium to appeal to the appropriate government agencies that our four months withheld salaries should be paid to allow industrial peace and harmony,” he said.

    Makolo, however, urged the branch chairmen and others to stand for what was just and ensure none of their member was shortchanged.

    Also, Mr Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU, expressed shock that NASU members were yet to be paid the four months withheld salaries arrears while some other unions had been paid full.

    According to Adeyemi, the meeting was convened so that industrial harmony and stability that had been witnessed since the advent of this new government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, can be sustained.

    “It was shocking that just a few weeks ago, we were informed that the office of the Chief of Staff gave approval to the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to pay the four months salaries to one of the unions.

    “We asked ourselves, was there a contradiction in the pronouncement of government and its functionaries? Is it what is supposed to be?

    “Comrades, if there is any union and its members that deserve to be paid first, it should be members of NASU,” he said.

    He explained that NASU had an agreement with government that was treated appropriately and with a clause of no victimisation.

    “No victimisation means nothing will be denied of our members. The idea of the same government coming to say no work no pay was injustice at the highest order.

    “We appreciate the present government for making the pronouncement that this salaries will be paid.

    “But we are confused as to why up till this moment NASU members have not been paid their four months withheld salaries.

    “This meeting is to call on the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct, without any further delay, the payment of our four months withheld outstanding salaries

    “We are not unmindful of the problems that this government is confront with, but if these monies are not paid in the next one week or two weeks, we are going to shut down,” he said.

  • 50 polytechnic workers die in Ondo

    50 polytechnic workers die in Ondo

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO) chapters said they lost 50 members over irregular payment of salaries.

    The unions stated this after a joint meeting at the institution on Tuesday. Speaking to newsmen after the meeting of SSANIP, Mr Nafiu Okoro, said irregular salary payment to the unions’ members had caused a lot of havoc to the lives of workers in the polytechnic.

    Okoro explained that over 10 months salaries were being owed workers  by the institution’s management.

    “All non teaching staff, comprising NASU and SSANIP agreed that government should pay all our outstanding salaries running to over 10 months.

    “That N35,000 being paid to workers as palliatives in Ondo State should be extended to institutions.

    “Also, management should pay all the deductions of our cooperative societies. These form parts of our resolutions.

    “The situation here is pathetic. I want to inform you that we have lost over 50 staff as a result of irregularities in salary payment since few years ago. In this year, three staff died on the same day,” he stated.

    According to him, the two unions have passed a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Dr Olubunmi Omoniyi-led Governing Council of the institution.

    He alleged that several millions of naira had been siphoned by the council when the institution’s staff were not paid.

    “We are being paid percentage of our salaries and being owed for many months while the council is spending bogus amount of money on sitting allowances, quarterly allowances and Christmas bonus when the staff are wallowing in abject poverty.

    “We are going home in empty stomachs, particularly in this Yuletide which is a celebration of gifts. But we have nothing to take home to our families.

    “It has become unbearable. We are now awake.  We want to take or destiny in our hands. Government should bail us out of this quagmire. We are tired and we are suffering.

    “For us to bury three of our staff in a day this year is threatening. The way we are losing our members is terrible  because there is no food, no access to medical care,” he said.

    The SSANIP chairman said that the two unions had resolved to embark on indefinite strike starting from Jan. 1, 2024 if the workers’ salaries were not fully paid.

    “We suspended our strike due to plea from the management and the governing council and they promised us but they have failed us and we are closing the polytechnic’s gates on Jan. 2, 2024 if our salaries are not all paid. It’s going to be a total strike,” he said.

    Okoro urged the state to also release funds to the school’s management to offset the salaries, saying  that the state government should be sensitive to the agony and yearning of the polytechnic’s workers.

    The SSANIP chairman said that the union was happy that the polytechnic had been approved for upgrading to university status, asking the state government to ensure that the polytechnic’s workers also transitted to university’s workers.

    Similarly, the Chairman of NASU, Mr Gbenga Aro, explained that the two unions were on the same page of resolutions, representing non teaching staff of the polytechnic.

    Aro said that it was disheartening and worrisome that the workers dues and benefits were not being given to them in spite of their crucial roles in the institution.

    “We have met and resolved in brevity that unless all backlog of our salaries are paid,we are going to close down this institution by embarking on our suspended strike by Jan. 1, 2024,” he said.

    He stated that the upgrading status of the polytechnic to university should be done by migrating the polytechnic’s staff to be staff of university.

    Responding, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the polytechnic, Mr Samuel Ojo, described the unions’ agitation as normal.

    He asked the unions to bring their grievances to the institution’s management for negotiation and discussion.

    Ojo, who said that two wrongs would not make a right, asked for proper dialogue between unions and the polytechnic’s management for a common good of all.

  • Attack on NLC President violates his human rights – NASU

    Attack on NLC President violates his human rights – NASU

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has condemned the recent attack on the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero.

    The union’s reaction to the incident was contained in a statement signed by Mr Peters Adeyemi, its General Secretary, a copy of which was made available Sunday in Abuja.

    Ajaero was attacked in Imo on Nov. 1, when he went to the South-Eastern state to declare a mass protest over alleged anti-labour practices.

    Reports claimed that he was later detained by the Police, but the Police have said that they brought him under their custody to save him from further attack by hoodlums.

    Adeyemi said that the attack on the union leader was “a violation of trade union rights as well as the human rights of Ajaero”.

    “The rights, which Ajaero was exercising in Owerri as the leader of the working people of Nigeria, is guaranteed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution (as amended), and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions.

    “Nigeria, as a member-state of ILO, has ratified ILO Conventions on Freedom of Association and Protection of Rights to Organise, 1948 (No.87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, 1949 (No.98),” he noted.

    Adeyemi, who is also the Deputy President, Public Service International (PSI), accused the Imo government of unfair labour practices.

    “The government hasn’t paid salaries and pension; it is not right to attack workers union leaders asking why these monies have not been paid,” the statement.

    He added that Ajaero was on a solidarity visit to the workers in Imo and shouldn’t have been visited with tendencies “which were common in Nigeria only during military regimes”.

    NASU rejected the claims that Ajaero was kept under “protective custody” in his own interest, and urged President Bola Tinubu to order a thorough  investigation into the episode.

    It said that such intervention would give trade unions the assurance that a clampdown would not be their lot whenever there is a dispute between government and labour

     

  • Unions ground academic activities at EBSU

    Unions ground academic activities at EBSU

    Three unions at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki began an indefinite strike on Thursday, paralysing activities at the institution.

    They are the university’s chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and other Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists.

    The striking workers locked all entrances into the school over unpaid wages.

    Chairman of SSANU, Mr Elias Odigbo, said the indefinite strike was to protest against non-payment three months salaries.

    He said the last time the varsity paid salaries was in February.

    “We also want the government to actualise our promotion since 2016. Since 2016 no promotion has been made, especially for non-academic staff.

    “Another reason is that during the COVID-19 lockdown, there were 20 per cent deductions from our salaries with promises to refund the deductions.

    “Management refunded only five months deductions up till now.

    “We have 10 months deductions left and we have been begging for the refund to no avail.

    “We also need conversion of staff for those who have acquired additional qualifications.

    “We are not fighting government or the school management. All we are asking for is our right. The workers need their wages to work diligently,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Nwovu Origbo, NASU chairman begged the state government to pay outstanding three months salaries and refund the 20 per cent of COVID-19 deductions.

    Origbo noted that the strike would continue until the workers’ demands were met.

    “We are not going to call off the strike until all our demands are met. We are not beggars but workers,’’ he said.

    Responding to the strike, Commissioner for Education, Mr Sunday Nwangele disclosed he would address a news conference on the issue on Friday.

  • NASU urges FG to pay salary arrears for period of strike

    NASU urges FG to pay salary arrears for period of strike

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) said it expects the Federal Government to pay salary arrears for the four months their industrial action lasted.

    Mr Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU, said this while addressing a news conference at the union ongoing National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Adeyemi said that NEC expects the federal government to make arrangements for payment of the salary arrears.

    According to NASU, since all parties within the University system have suspended their industrial actions, it behooves on government to start reviewing those hard stance it took while the tertiary institutions were under lock and key.

    “A moratorium was given to the federal government which will elapses by November 2022.

    “This should serve as a veritable opportunity for government to sit down and begin to address the existing demands by the unions, one of which is the salary arrears, ’’he said.

    Adeyemi also said that under no circumstance would the government sweep the issue under the carpet, especially when the government obliged the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) similar gesture after they suspended their two months strike.

    He also added that, I have confidence as a union person that those salaries will be paid, because it has been paid to the guys in the health sector which was for two months.

    “The Minister of Labour and Employment also facilitated the payment and he is still there, I am confident he will facilitate this payment, ’’he said.

    Earlier, Dr Hassan Makolo, National President of NASU also said that the decision to embark on strike does not come easy for unionists.

    He added that trade unions do not just embark on strike to play to the gallery, contrary to the erroneous belief of the public.

    According to him, this is because it is done at great cost to their members and the unions.

    “Those who think it is easy to go on a strike should think of staying for four, five or more months without a salary or an income.

    “Think of what that does to the household of a breadwinner who is taking part in a strike without a salary, in terms of feeding, medicals, transportation, children school fees, aged parents and other relations to cater for, as well as the landlord.

    “Moreover, most of the children in public universities and other tertiary institutions are our children.

    “Whereas the children of our employers and other government functionaries who are expected to resolve the grievances of unions in the public sector are either studying in universities abroad or are in private universities here at home, ’’he said.

    He also noted that on the part of the union, the management of the affairs of the union continues, including the management of the strike without ‘ check-off dues.

    He said that the actions and inactions of public officials foisted a needless strike on members of NASU in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.

    He therefore said that the strike would not have started in the first place, if they did what was expected of them.

    Hassan also said that the era of strikes would only be mitigated effectively if collective bargaining in the educational and allied institutions sectors are institutionalised.

    He added that this was one of the demands they put before the Federal Government, which members of the Federal Government Renegotiating Team rejected.

    He went further to state that government teams should always come to the collective bargaining table with fidelity, including implementing agreements it freely entered into with NASU.

    “Over two months after the Agreement signed by the Federal Government with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU, that resulted in the suspension of the four months old strike.

    “We have observed that the processes expected to be put in place for the actualisation of the content of the Agreement are yet to be put in place.

    “We therefore use the opportunity of the ongoing NEC meeting to call on the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

    “He is to ensure that the processes for the implementation of the Agreement commence immediately before the members of NASU will start another round of agitation,’’he said.

    He also added that, we hope that some other industrial relations issues within the sector which the government is aware of will be amicably resolved within a minimum time frame.

    Newsmen reports that on Aug. 20, SANNU and NASU suspended their industrial action.

    The unions had in March embarked on a nationwide strike over what it called the nonchalant attitude of the government to their demands.