Withheld Salaries: Varsity Unions Begin Warning Strike March 18

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have declared a seven-day warning strike beginning Monday, March 18, 2024 over the federal government’s failure to pay their four months’ withheld salaries.

The decision was reached at the end of SSANU’s 47th regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Akure at the weekend.

SSANU president, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, who briefed journalists on the development in Abuja yesterday, said that despite assurances and a presidential directive that all university-based unions would receive their withheld salaries, SSANU and NASU members have been excluded from this payment.

He said that the exclusion is viewed by the unions as a breach of the post-strike agreement and an act of victimisation against their members.

The unions have expressed their frustration with the government’s lack of action and have warned that the strike could lead to a complete shutdown of universities nationwide if their demands are not met within the stipulated time frame.

LEADERSHIP reported last week how the unions threatened to withdraw their services if the federal government does not pay them their four months withheld salaries within a week.

In addition to the warning strike, the unions are also demanding the implementation of the previously agreed upon 25 percent and 35 percent salary increase, which has been pending for over six months and also the release of earned allowances to their members to avert any industrial disharmony in the university system.

The NEC also called for urgent action on the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/SSANU Agreement, following the demise of the chairman of the government team, Prof Nimi Briggs. SSANU said it is ready to commence the renegotiation process and is awaiting the government’s invitation.

On matters of national security, SSANU expressed concern over the deteriorating situation, while urging the government to adequately fund security agencies and initiate transparent recruitment processes to bolster their ranks.

SSANU also called for urgent economic intervention through sound policies to revive growth and curb inflation and unemployment rates.

They further called for the prompt reconstitution of governing councils of federal and state universities to ensure smooth administration and autonomy.

The communique reads in part, “The National Executive Council (NEC) in session seriously frowns at the latest action of government which excluded SSANU and other non-teaching university based unions from the payment of the four months withheld salaries arising from the nationwide strike action embarked upon by all unions in our public universities. While SSANU is not averse to the payment of the withheld salary to our sister union ASUU, it however views this action as a clear violation and breach of the post-strike agreement with government on non-victimisation of our members who participated in the strike.

“We strongly oppose this discriminatory practice which we view as the government’s open invitation to industrial crisis. NEC in session therefore calls on the relevant authorities of government to immediately implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the four months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has approved a one-week warning strike in conjunction with our sister union in JAC, NASU.”