Benjamin Babine, Abuja 

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) have announced the commencement of a 14-day warning strike.

In a letter by the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi and the SSANU President, Samson Ugwoke, addressed to branch chairmen of NASU and SSANU, they directed members to commence the action. 

They explained that it was in tandem with their earlier threat to begin the strike as soon as the Federal Government direteds universities to resume academic activities.

The letter read in part: “Kindly recall earlier information on the above subject matter wherein it was conveyed that the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU would embark on on a 14-day Industrial action immediately universities resume following the COVID-19 lockdown. 

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“Following the recent directives from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to Vice-Chancellors  for the immediate resumption/safe reopening of universities, you are hereby directed to commence a 14-day warning strike effective from 5th to 19th October 2020.”

The unions said the warning strike could result in full blown industrial action if their grievances were not addressed. 

They listed inconsistencies of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in the payment of salaries of their members; non-payment of arrears of earned allowances being owed NASU and SSANU members despite various memoranda of understanding; non-payment of arrears of national minimum wage to our members and non-payment of retirement benefits to outgone members as lingering labour issues that the Federal Government has failed to address. 

The non-academic staff unions also said lack of seriousness and delays in the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NASU and SSANU agreements, usurpation of headship of non-teaching units by academic staff in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures, neglect and poor funding of state universities, corruption in the university system and non-constitution of visitation panels for the universities in line with the laws as other issues impacting negatively on their members as reasons for the strike