Non-Academic and Senior Staff of universities threaten strike

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Friday threatened to embark on strike.

The threat is contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed jointly by Mr Prince Adeyemi, General Secretary, NASU and Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, National President of SSANU.

They stated on behalf of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the two unions that the strike became necessary following Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements reached with the unions.

They stated also that the decision to embark on strike was reached at the committee’s meeting held on Feb. 24.

The meeting, they explained, reviewed the status of the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the Federal Government on their industrial action of January and February 2021.

According to the statement, JAC noted that the January 2021 industrial action was preceded by a Memorandum of Action of October 2020 which highlighted inconsistencies in IPPIS payment and non-payment of earned allowances.

IPPIS is the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System used in paying Federal Government workers.

The statement noted other issues agitating the unions to include delay in renegotiation of FGN/NASU and SSANU agreement and non-payment of arrears of the National Minimum Wage.

Usurpation of headship of non-teaching units in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures is another issue the unions listed.

The statement also noted “the neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of benefits to retiring members, non-constitution of visitation panels to universities among issues the Federal Government is yet to implement.”

“We wish to make it public that till date, except for the constitution of Visitation Panels which White Papers are yet to see the light of the day, none of the issues as agreed in the October 2020 and February 2021 Memorandum of Action have been implemented.”

“The attendant problems of the IPPIS remain unabating as our members are still being paid salaries haphazardly.”

“The untold suffering of our members due to the disorganised payment of salaries is further compounded by the unpredictable remittance of Third Party deductions – union check-off dues, cooperative societies, welfare schemes, bank loans, among others.”

“We had informed the government of the development of a software, the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS).”

“Till date, we have not been invited to any meeting to formally present our software, talk less of accrediting it with the relevant government’s agency,” the statement also noted.

It added that the unions had agreed that N30 billion be made available for the payment of arrears of Earned Allowances for the non-teaching unions.

“We had an embarrassing situation where only 25 per cent of N22 billion was paid to the non-teaching staff in a disbursement made in December 2021.”

“This caused further confusion and dissatisfaction in the university system and till date, despite all entreaties, the arrears of the National Minimum Wage being owed members are yet to be paid.”

“We notify all stakeholders of the possible breakdown of industrial peace in the university system borne out of disrespect for collective bargaining reached with NASU and SSANU by government,” the statement read.