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  • NASU, SSANU to embark on indefinite strike, if…

    NASU, SSANU to embark on indefinite strike, if…

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) say they will embark on an indefinite strike, if government fails to meet their demands.

    The unions under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) stated this through its spokesperson, Mr Prince Adeyemi during a news conference on Wednesday, in Abuja.

    Recall that members of the unions had embarked on two weeks warning strike that expired on midnight of April 10.

    The union’s demands include the inconsistencies in payment with Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS), non-payment of Earned Allowances, non-payment of arrears of National Minimum Wage and it consequential adjustment.

    Others are: poor funding of state universities, delay in renegotiation of the 2009 agreements, non-release of white papers of visitation panels, non- payment of retirement benefits to outcome members, among others.

    JAC had resolved that following the failure of government to invite the leaderships for a meeting, the strike should be extended by another two weeks before an indefinite and total strike is declared.

    Adeyemi said the strike was borne out of the non-responsive nature of the government and its officials to matters affecting the members of the NASU and SSANU and by extension, the entire University System.

    “Arising from the last memorandum and following up on the issues, we have written no less than 10 tetters or reminders to the government to no avail, not even an acknowledgement.

    “It was at the end of all these reminders with no acknowledgement by the government that we were left with no other resort but to embark on a two weeks warning strike.

    “Prior to the strike, due process was duly followed and the notice were issued in line with the extant laws.

    “Shamefully and painfully, there was no attempt by the government to intercept or even invite the unions to a meeting.

    “As of today, the two weeks’ extension is getting to the middle and with no response in sight from government, we may be left with no resort but to embark on an indefinite and total strike, “he said.

    Adeyemi, however gave conditions upon which their industrial action might be suspended.

    He insisted that government should jettison the IPPIS for the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System (U3PS) developed by the non-academic unions.

    He also insisted that the N30billion as Earned Allowances,, which is a product of the FGN/NASU and SSANU 2009 Agreements should be paid immediately.

    He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had stated that the criteria for disbursement would be according to the computation from each University and Inter-University Centre, in line with what is outstanding for each staff.

    “Sadly, when the said sum was released, it was evident that rather than adopt the submissions of Universities and Inter-University Centres, the Ministry of Education in releasing N22 Billion, adopted a lopsided sharing formula of 75 per cent for ASUU and 25 per cent for other unions,’’ he said.

  • Public Varsities totally shutdown as NASU,SSANU join strike

    Public Varsities totally shutdown as NASU,SSANU join strike

     

    The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) have joined ASUU to declare a two-week warning strike.

    The unions have described as non-challance the attitude of Federal Government towards their demands and agitations.

    It stated this in a joint press statement signed by both the National President of SSANU, Comrade H. Ibrahim and the General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi.

    The statement read in part “Having waited for so long, this is to inform you that the government has not responded nor reacted to our demands as at this moment.”

    “This is to direct our members in all universities and inter-universities centres throughout the country to commence a two-week warning strike by midnight of Sunday, 27th March, 2022 in the first instance as earlier conveyed to the Federal Government in our letter.”

    The statement thereby emphasized that the two-week warning strike should be comprehensive and total, adding that no concession should be given in any guise.

    “Your strict compliance and adherence to the directive is mandatory to all branches of NASU and SSANU in the Universities and Inter- Universities Centres throughout the country,” the statement concluded.

    The strike by these unions have now totally grounded activities in Nigeria’s public varsities.

    Recall that ASUU has already embarked on a 3- month-strike, the body claims that their demands have not been fully met by the Federal Government

  • Protest by SSANU, NASU mars new UI VC’s assumption of office

    Protest by SSANU, NASU mars new UI VC’s assumption of office

    The assumption of office of the new Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, on Monday was marred by a peaceful protest by the institution’s non-academic staff members.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest was staged by Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    NAN also reports that the inauguration and thanksgiving service of the 13th vice-chancellor was held at Chapel of Resurrection within the university on Monday.

    However, the institution’s staff members held the protest immediately after the service over the 75:25 per cent sharing formula of the just-approved N22.1 billion for payment of earned allowances for university staffers by the Federal Government.

    The protesters marched through the base of the vice-chancellor’s office to the frontage of Trenchard Hall, Mellamby Hall, Tedder Hall and Students’ Union Building before dispersing.

    Speakers during the protest included SSANU Chairman, Abiodun Omisore; his NASU counterpart, Malachy Etim; a former SSANU chairman, Wale Akinremi and a former National Vice-Chairman of SSANU, Alfred Jimoh.

    Etim said: “We want to educate our members on the strike that is coming up, because we are going to take our destiny into our hands.

    “At the same time, we want the public to warn the Minister of Education. We know he is an academic.The Executive Secretary of NUC is also an academic.

    “If they think they can use the non-teaching staff money to pay the academics, which they will benefit from, we will not accept that.

    “We are sending a signal to them that very soon, we will close down all the universities, except they retrace their steps. Government is pushing us to go on strike.”

    In his remarks, Akinremi, appealed to the public to prevail on the government to ensure justice.

    Adebowale, while speaking during the service, promised to administer the country’s premier university with the fear of God.

    “By the special grace of God, we will run an administration that is God-fearing; and administration that seeks and pursues the welfare of everyone, not minding their ethnicity, faith or creed.

    “Only an administration that is fair, even and just in leading people can bring glory to God’s name,” the new helmsman said.

  • Sharing of N22.1 billion tears varsities staff apart

    Sharing of N22.1 billion tears varsities staff apart

    The Leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-teaching Staff Unions of Universities has issued the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to reverse the sharing formula of N22.127 billion approved as payment of Earned Allowances for the universities staff.

    The JAC non-teaching staff members are the Non-Academic Staff Unions of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

    The NASU General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi, said this in a letter jointly signed by Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU President, on Wednesday, in Abuja.

    The letter was addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige and titled, ”Refusal of Federal Government to honour Memorandum of Action”.

    Recall that N40 billion Earned Allowances was earlier released by the Federal Government for the four universities based unions where ASUU was also allocated 75 per cent and 25 to the other three unions.

    Also recall that the Federal Government recently assured the payment of N22.127 billion as Earned Allowances for the university staff with the sharing formula.

    Adeyemi, however, described the sharing formula as injustice meted out to them.
    He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to reverse the sharing formula immediately in order not to cause industrial dispute in the university system.

    “The leadership of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU is constrained to write the minister in respect of the total failure of the federal government to positively address all the issues contained in the Memorandum of Action signed on Feb. 25.

    ”The refusal of the Minister of Labour and Employment to finalise action on the subsequent Memorandum of Action reached at the meeting of Aug. 25

    ”It is regrettable to note that the draft of the Memorandum of Action reached Aug. 25, which was handed over to JAC leadership for vetting was effectively returned on August 30, and almost two months after the meeting, no action has been taken.” he said.

    He also noted that some of the contentious issues in the letter were the payment of minimum wage, consequential adjustment arrears, alleged inconsistencies in IPPIS payment, Payment of hazard responsibility allowance to deserving members and the earned allowances.

    According to him, contrary to the content of the Memorandum of Action of Feb. 25, and the decision reached at the subsequent meeting of August 26

    ”The information at our disposal as of the time of writing this letter indicates that the Federal Government has agreed to release another tranche of N22.127 billion for the payment of Earned Allowance to the Universities and Inter-University Center Staff at the ratio 75-25 per cent.

    “We are alarmed at this lack of sensitivity on the part of government when not long ago, Non-teaching staff protested the sharing formula applied by the Federal Government at 75-25 for the disbursement of the last tranche of N40 billion released for payment of earned allowances to both the teaching and non-teaching staff of our universities.

    “To again embark on this provocative and unacceptable sharing formula in the next release will only ignite industrial disquiet in our university system.

    ”We urge the minister to prevail on the federal government not to allow the present peaceful industrial atmosphere in the universities and inter-university centers in our country to be disrupted.

    “We, therefore, request for positive redress of the issues presented above by the Federal Government within the next two weeks, failing which JAC may be forced to ask its members across the length and breadth of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to take a position on the need to resume to the suspended strike,” he said.

    The letter refusing the sharing formula was also copied to the Minister of Education and the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission.

  • Ekiti varsity proscribes ASUU, SSANU, NASU, others, shuts down institution

    Ekiti varsity proscribes ASUU, SSANU, NASU, others, shuts down institution

    Management of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, on Saturday proscribed all students’ unions and shut down the institution indefinitely following a protest by the students over poor staff welfare.
    The university authorities have also instructed the students to vacate the campus without delay.
    These are contained in a statement by Mr Bode Olofinmuagun, Head, Directorate of Information & Corporate Affairs of the university.
    Olofinmuagun said the Governing Council of the university decided to close down the institution in order to safeguard lives and property.
    “The Governing Council of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti announces the immediate closure of the University.
    “All academic activities are hereby suspended.
    “This is as a result of the continuous disruption of lawful activities on campus which have endangered lives and property in the past one week.
    “Consequently, to guarantee peace and orderliness on campus, all the four unions, namely ASUU, SSANU, NAAT and NASU) are hereby proscribed with immediate effect.
    “All students are advised to vacate the campus forthwith,” he said.
    Crisis between the university authorities and students erupted on Monday after workers of the institution across the various unions, hired a live band and turned the main entrance of the institution to a party ground.
    According to the workers, the move was part of a strategy to press home their demands over alleged unpaid salaries and allowances, among other things.
    The workers’ action paralysed both academic and non-academic activities on the campus as both workers and students were denied access to the campus.
    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Azeez Aguda, the Secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), EKSU branch, said members’ action would continue until government prevailed on the university authorities to accede to their demands.
    He listed the demands to include payment of July, August, and September salaries (2018), remittance of cooperative and pension dues, and reinstatement of sacked workers, among several others.
    The unions also accused the university authorities of reneging on the commitments of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) they signed with student representatives, an event that was witnessed by members of the state’s House of Assembly in the year 2020.
    Reacting, the university authorities said that most of the demands of the students were made during the lifetime of the previous administration.
    The authorities, however, said that some of the demands had been addressed while others were in the process of being tackled.
    The authorities said it was not true that the university had reneged on the MoA they signed with the various unions in 2020.
  • University workers suspend nationwide strike

    University workers suspend nationwide strike

    The leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching staff unions of universities has announced the suspension of its three-week old strike with effect from midnight Feb 26.

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

    The NASU General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi, said this while addressing newsmen at the end of a Conciliatory meeting with the Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports reports that unions directed its members to embark on a nationwide strike from Friday, February 5, 2021 to press home their demands.

    Adeyemi said the union agreed to suspend the national strike after extracting some concessions from the Federal Government that had to do with the grievances that it presented.

    “We have eight items which we negotiated and which form the basis for our ongoing national strike in the universities.

    “We have held the meeting with the government side and those areas that needed to be harmonised have been done 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, Friday, 26th February, 2021.

    “We use this opportunity to appreciate our members for their commitment on this struggles, this strike is hereby suspended,” he said.

    Adeyemi said that the unions would continue to monitor the agreements that had been reached that had a timeline and hoped that the government would implement its own side of the bargain.

    According to him, if the government doesn’t, we will call our members to resume the suspended strike, but for now, the strike is suspended with effect from 12 midnight,” he said.

    Earlier, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said the meeting was very fruitful as all the rough edges arising from the former negotiations had been smoothened.

    “Today’s deliberations have been very fruitful; we have also issued a conciliation document called Joint Action Memorandum of Action (MoA), and the two unions will get back to their members today and in good faith.

    “So we keep our fingers crossed, believing that their communications with their union members will be as quick and swift as they have promised us.

    “This is more so, as government is desirous that normal activities should return to the University system so that we can take the action one after the other.

    “Also with the normalcy restored in the university system, we intend to do the visitation panel which is one of the agreements reached with them and which cannot be carried out without normalcy in the university system,” Ngige said.

    The unions demand included, rectifying inconsistencies in the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS), non-payment of arrears of minimum wage, delay in renegotiation with government, NASU and SSANU 2009 agreement, among others.(

  • LASU NASU, SSANU suspend strike

    LASU NASU, SSANU suspend strike

    The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Lagos State University (LASU) Chapter, on Thursday suspended an indefinite strike over outstanding arrears of minimum wage and other demands.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NASU and SSANU under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) had embarked on a nationwide strike on Feb. 5, to compel the Federal Government to address their demands.

    NAN reports that NASU and SSANU, LASU chapter, also demanded for payment of their members’ earned allowances and rightful position.

    The two unions had shut the university’s main gate and the senate building during the indefinite strike which affected the first semester examination of the institution.

    Mr Moruf Sanni, Chairman, NASU, LASU Chapter, said that the workers suspended the strike to honour the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    “We had a virtual meeting with the Lagos State Government on Wednesday.

    “It was led by the commissioner for establishments, and the government appealed to us to honour the governor by suspending the strike.

    “After the suspension of the strike, we can come back to negotiate with the government concerning our issues or demands.

    “We believe that the governor will do whatever he says,” Sanni said.

    Miss Zaenab Adams, Public Relations Officer, Student Union, LASU, said that the students had yet to return to campus.

    Adams said that LASU management would be meeting on Friday, to discuss and announce a resumption date so students could conclude examinations.

  • UNILORIN postpones reopening of hostels

    UNILORIN postpones reopening of hostels

    The Management of the University of Ilorin on Saturday postponed reopening of hostels earlier schedule for Feb. 15 due to ongoing strike action by the non-academic unions in the university.

    UNILORIN’s Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Feb. 8, joined the nationwide strike called by their national bodies.

    A statement issued by Mr Kunle Akogun, Director of Corporate Affairs of the University said the on-going strike had affected the sources of electricity and water supplies to the hostels.

    “This is to inform 100 level students of the university that the reopening of school hostels, earlier scheduled for Monday, Feb. 15 has been postponed.

    “A new date for the reopening of the hostels will be announced in due course.

    “We appeal to our students, on whose welfare we place a very high premium, to bear with management and await further announcements.

    “Please note, however, that virtual lectures will continue as scheduled for all categories of students,” he said.

  • Strike: FG’s meeting with SSANU, NASU ends in deadlock

    Strike: FG’s meeting with SSANU, NASU ends in deadlock

    The meeting between the Federal Government and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), has ended in a deadlock.

    It is the second meeting that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige is holding with the striking university workers, in an attempt to resolve the issues leading to the labour unrest in the universities.

    At the beginning of the meeting, the minister lampooned the two unions, describing their industrial action as illegal and unknown to labour laws.

    At the first meeting with the Federal Government last Tuesday, the striking university workers said the government had failed to address their critical demands, which included unpaid earned allowances of members, delisting of members from the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the arrears of the new minimum wage.

    The joint action committee of SSANU and NASU had on Friday last week directed all their members to down tools pending when these demands are met.

  • It’s illegal to go on strike during negotiations, FG warns SSANU, NASU

    It’s illegal to go on strike during negotiations, FG warns SSANU, NASU

    The Federal Government has advised the non-academic unions of universities preparing to embark on industrial action from midnight of February 5 to have a rethink as such action would be illegal.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff to Universities (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), had recently given notices of embarking on a strike over a variety of issues to be sorted out with government.

    However, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, while speaking to State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, said going ahead to effect the strike while negotiations are still ongoing would be a breach of local and international Labour codes and statutes.

    He pleaded with the unions to allow three months of grace for the Federal Government forward the 2021 Supplementary Budget to the National Assembly to cover arrears of the minimum wage that have not been paid to them.

    The Nation had reported the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU had given the Federal Government till midnight of February 5 to address about its seven points demand or risk indefinite strike.

    Ngige told State House reporters that he met Buhari to discuss labour related matters especially the threat by the university non-teaching workers to embark on strike.

    He said that the government had “apprehended” the strike by engaging on social dialogue with the unions, adding it would be an illegality if they should go ahead with the planned strike.

    According to him: “It will be preposterous for them to say that as we wait to negotiate further, they are invoking a strike by midnight today, that will be against the labour statute of both the International Labour Organisation and the Nigeria Trade Dispute Act and we will frown at it if they ever go that route.”

    Also asked if the government would invoke no work no pay policy should the workers go ahead with the strike, Ngige said: “I don’t want to go to that area because I presume that good judgment will prevail.

     

    “The leaders of SSANU and NASU are very knowledgeable and very experienced in labour matters. The General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi and the SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, they are experienced labour leaders, they know they will not go that route, they know if they go that route it will be an illegal strike.

     

    “They know that if they go that route, yes they also have a right to strike and the employer also has the right to some reliefs.

    “They also know that when they go that route it means that they have broken down the negotiation in my place that they are not listening.

    “The labour laws also say what I can do if I find that I can’t manage the situation. The law says that I can refer those disputes upwards starting from industrial arbitration panel to the National Industrial Court, so these are the options that are left.

    “I am very optimistic that if they give us three months, the Finance Minister will do the needful,” he pleaded.