Varsity workers suspend strike as FG pays 25% withheld salary
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 called off its strike for a month after the Federal Government made partial payments.
The government recently paid one month’s salary out of the four months it owes union members, a move that led the unions to suspend the strike temporarily.
Abdussobur Salaam, Vice-President of SSANU, commented that the government still owes 75% of the outstanding salaries, stressing that only one out of four months has been covered.
JAC had initiated the indefinite strike on October 28, 2024, due to unpaid salaries, which halted activities across Nigeria’s universities.
The unions released a statement on Sunday, co-signed by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Peters Adeyemi, announcing their decision to resume work on November 5, 2024.
The statement confirmed that following high-level discussions, the government committed to a staggered payment approach: a second month’s salary would be paid by the end of November 2024, while the remaining two months were still under negotiation.
The unions requested that branch leaders gather members on November 4, 2024, to inform them about the new arrangements and encourage them to return to work.
During this industrial action, union representatives had extensive discussions with top government officials, including the new Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The unions also emphasized that other demands, such as the N50 billion for earned allowances, arrears of the 25/35% wage award, and implementation of the 2009 agreements, were still in discussion.
The government had invoked the “No Work, No Pay” policy during the prolonged 2022 strike, a policy that remained a source of tension during this recent dispute.
The one-month suspension of the strike allows time for further dialogue, with union leaders hoping to secure complete payment of outstanding salaries and other entitlements.
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