The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has paused its strike for one month.
The unions initially went on an indefinite strike on October 28, 2024, over four months of unpaid salaries, which disrupted university activities nationwide.
After receiving one month’s salary on Friday, JAC leaders, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi, encouraged members to return to work on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
The statement revealed that a high-level engagement culminated in extracting an irrevocable commitment from the Federal Government that the two months of the four months withheld salaries would be paid in staggered form.
“Arising from the above and in view of the level of commitment exhibited by the new minister and the leadership of the Department of State Services, the leadership of JAC, after several contacts and other patriotic considerations, hereby directs that the ongoing indefinite strike be suspended for one- month effective Tuesday, 5th November 2024.
“Branch leaders of both NASU and SSANU are hereby directed to convene a joint Congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 4th November 2024 and intimate members of these developments and urge them to resume work on Tuesday, 5th November 2024,” it read.
The statement added that during the industrial struggle, “We have had several extensive and exhaustive deliberations with the officials of the Federal Government of Nigeria including the new Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, the outgoing Minister of State for Education, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, the Accountant-General of the Federation and the leadership of the Department of State Services.
“The National leadership of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU acknowledges and commends our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres for their unwavering resolve, unrelenting determination and steadfast support for the ongoing strike action.”
The statement emphasized that discussions regarding the remaining two months of unpaid salaries, the N50 billion for Earned Allowances, the 25/35 percent arrears, and the Wage Award are underway.
The unions are pushing for the settlement of the four-month salary backlog, better pay, earned allowances, and the fulfillment of the 2009 agreements with the government.
Previously, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, implemented a “No Work, No Pay” policy after the four university-based unions went on an extended strike in 2022.
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