By Gabriel Dike, Lagos
Authorities of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have disagreed over the ongoing industrial action by junior workers in the institution.
The national leadership of NASU had directed its members in FUNAAB to embark on a 7-day strike in reaction to the alleged victimisation of union leaders and interference in the affairs of the union by the management.
NASU headquarters served FUNAAB notice of the strike but an attempt by the management to avert the strike failed as members on heeded their national body directive and down tools.
At a meeting with the FUNAAB management on Friday to avert the strike, the local branch of the union told the management to write the NASU headquarters in Ibadan, which they did but the letter did little or nothing to stop the strike.
But the university management in another letter on Monday, October 24, signed by the Registrar, described the ongoing strike as illegal and denied victimising any NASU FUNAAB members.
The university management letter, which was addressed to NASU headquarters, also faulty the allegations by the union that it denied the former chairman of the union promotion nor arrested any member.
FUNAAB management further denied the allegation by the union that it is interfering in the affairs of the local branch.
FUNAAB management in a letter to the leadership of NASU, said aside from the illegality of the national body declaring an industrial action on issues that are clearly local and were never brought to the attention of the university management.
The letter titled: ‘Another Macabre Dance by NASU” and signed by Registrar of FUNAAB, Dr Bola Adekola, observed that there is clearly a violation of the extant rules and procedures for strike declaration through extant laws of the land.
Adekola said some of the issues raised are subjudice as they are before the Federal Court of Appeal, Ibadan, adding, “the decision of NASU to resort to strike in such issues is, therefore, a resort of self-help, which is clearly ultra vires.
“It is quite unfathomable that after an eight-month strike, which paralysed universities, NASU believes that declaring a local strike for promotion of a personal interest is justifiable,” he stated.
In a swift reaction to FUNAAB management letter, NASU branch chairman, Samson Edivri, faulted the university, noting, “the union finds it difficult to believe that in view of clear facts and figures indicating the management for various un-executives acts.”
Edivri insisted the university management interfered in NASU affairs, instigating members against the union and its leaders, victimisation, stepping-down of promotion and denial of career progression a member, and arbitrary arrest and detention of some NASU members.
He said the strike directed by the national body is in full force despite various kinds of intimidation by the university management.
The chairman commended the national leadership of NASU for its pro-activeness to defend and protect FUNAAB members from the oppression of the university management.