The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has finally made an official statement concerning the outcome of its NEC meeting held on Monday.
The meeting was held at the Union's headquarters at the University of Abuja to deliberate on the union's next line of action following the payment of half of October salaries to its members by the Federal Government.
In a statement on Tuesday, ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said that the union resolved not to start another industrial action.
However, ASUU condemned what it described as the Federal Government's attempt to turn university lecturers into casual workers through its ‘pro rata’ payment for 18 days as the October 2022 salaries of the academics.
Image:TheGuardian.
Prof. Osodeke recalled that the union decided to halt its eight-month strike on October 14, in deference to the judgment of the National Industrial Court and after considering the efforts of some patriotic Nigerians, including Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila who intervened in the matter.
He maintained that the step apart from being a pointer to the union's readiness for a peaceful resolution of the industrial dispute was also a show of ASUU's trust in the judiciary, other institutions, and organs of government to always place national interest above other considerations.
The statement read in part, “This, we believe as a union of thinkers, intellectuals and patriots, will not only aid the process of amicable resolution of the crisis but will also set the tone for smooth industrial relations between government and Nigerian workers at large.
“Unfortunately, the response of government towards ASUU’s demonstration of trust was the so-called ‘pro rata’ payment for 18 days as the October 2022 salaries of academics, thereby, portraying them as daily paid workers!
“This is not only an aberration but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment for academics the world over.
“At an emergency meeting of the ASUU National Executive Committee (NEC), held on Monday, November 7, 2022, the Union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike.
“NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a pro-rata basis, like casual workers, is unprecedented in the history of university-oriented labor relations and, therefore, condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its entirety.
“NEC commended members for their perseverance in the face of untold hardship and unwarranted provocation by some agents of the ruling class.”
"ASUU NEC, therefore, appealed for the understanding of Nigerian students, parents, and other genuinely concerned individuals and groups, while the Union continues to pursue a positive resolution of this avoidable crisis within the ambit of legality without compromising the interests and welfare of Nigerian intellectuals,” Osodeke added.
Education
Comments