SSANU, NASU commence indefinite strike in UI

Two non-academic unions of the University of Ibadan (UI) on Friday commenced an indefinite industrial strike over failure of the institution’s management to meet their demands.

It was reported that the unions – Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) – locked the UI gate, thus stalling academic activities in the campus.

Speaking with our reporter, Mr Wale Akinremi, Chairman of SSANU in UI, said the industrial action would continue until the university management yielded to their demands.

He noted that the initial seven and 14-day ultimatum had lapsed and the institution’s management was yet to do their bidding.

He said the demands were full reinstatement of staff school teachers, stoppage of illegal pension deductions and continuation of their October increment, which was stopped in 2019.

According to him, other demands include the the appointment of SSANU members in the disciplinary committee of the trial of their members or when treating their case.

“As well as stopping arbitrary redeployment of senior members of staff when there is any issue as if they are messengers; even messengers are not to be redeployed anyhow.

“UI management is using autocratic power to deal with our members,” he said.

Also speaking, NASU chairman, Mr Malachy Etim, said the indefinite strike was necessary, having exhausted all communication avenues without success.

He said: “We had a meeting with UI management on Tuesday, and we told them our plights.

“The present management lacks the system of communicating with us.

“You will write two to four letters and none will be acknowledged, not to talk of responding to the issues raised”.

Mr Tunji Oladejo, UI Director of Communication, said the university management had met with the unions on the need to allow harmonious and peaceful cooperation on the campus and assured that their demands would be looked into.