Crisis Looms In Varsities Over Salary Structure Review
THERE are strong indications that the university academic calendar may be disrupted following the alleged plan by the federal government to renegotiate with the Academic staff Union of Universities, ASUU, without carrying along the other three university based unions.
The three unions are the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT.
It was reliably gathered that the Federal Government is scheduled to meet with ASUU on August 28, to unveil a renegotiated agreement with the Union and to meet up with the union’s deadline.
The last negotiation between the Federal Government and the university based unions where agreements were reached on the welfare of workers was in 2009 and has been long overdue for a review.
The four unions on different occasions had called on the government to complete the Yahaye Ahmed-led renegotiation team and even separately threatened to go on strike if the government refused to do the needful in that regard.
Besides, ASUU had on August 21, warned the government on the serious consequences of not attending to their demands, and threatened to embark on strike if the government did not take positive actions on them.
After a series of appeals but to no avail, in a statement signed by its President, Christopher Piwuna, the Union issued a threat to the government with August 28 as the deadline.
The statement partly read: “ASUU-NEC appreciates the patience and forbearance of our membership since the last referendum. But the government cannot keep the Union talking forever. The general public is invited to note that ASUU has tried several ways and strategies of resolving the conflict in the education sector
“The general public should also note that ASUU has written several letters to the FGM drawing its attention to the need to resolve the crisis amicably. Lamentably, the FGM has always turned a deaf ear to all our pleas.
“As always, it is the FGN that has consistently pushed our Union to embark on a strike action and it is clear that ASUU may have no other option than to embark on an action to press the FGN to listen to our demands and do the needful.
“For the benefit of the doubt, these issues include; Re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, Sustainable funding of our universities, Revitalization of universities, Victimization of our colleagues in LASU, KSU(now Prince Abubakar Audu university) and FUTON, Outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, Promo arreas for over 4 years “
It was gathered that the treat has made the government to schedule a meeting with the university teaching staff on Thursday, 28th August to beat the deadline issued by ASUU.
It was further gathered that the government has not said anything to the non teaching staff, a development that has created animosity, anger and tension in the university.
SOURCE: VANGUARD
