This followed the commencement of a two week warning strike as directed by the Joint Action Committee of both SSANU and NASU. It was gathered that workers of University of Ilorin under SSANU and NASU have joined the nation wide strike as University of Lagos SSANU and NASU shut down power, water supply in the varsity .
UNILORIN’s SSANU, NASU begin two weeks warning strike
Workers of the University of Ilorin under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, SSANU and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, on Monday joined the nationwide two weeks warning strike as directed by their national bodies.
DAILY POST reports from the University of Ilorin main campus that the decision to join the strike called by the national bodies of the two labour unions was taken at a joint Congress held on Monday.
With the strike action, the major labour unions in Nigeria’s universities are now on strike with the latest coming few weeks after the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, extended its nationwide strike by two months following the Federal government’s deadlocked negotiation with ASUU.
A letter to the joint unions by the national bodies dated March 25th,2022 and signed by Prince Peters.A.Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU and Comrade Mohammed.H.Ibrahim, National President of SSANU, respectively, directed them to embark on the action, saying ” the two weeks warning strike should be comprehensive and total and no concession should be given in any guise.
“Your strict compliance and adherence to the directive is mandatory for all branches of NASU and SSANU in the Universities and inter university centres, the letter emphasized.
It further stated that having waited for so long, the Federal government has not responded nor reacted to their demands.
“In view of the non-challant attitude of the Federal government to our demands, this is to direct our members in all universities and inter university centres throughout the country to commence a two week warning strike by midnight of Sunday 27th,2022, in the first instance as earlier conveyed to the Federal government in our letter with reference No.JAC/NS/Vol 11/192 dated 16th March 2022, addressed to the Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, titled “Re-Looming Industrial Action and Notice of Warning Strike.”
The demands of the two unions include among others inconsistencies in IPPIS payment, non-payment of earned allowances, delay in renegotiation of FGN/NASU/SSANU agreement, non-payment of arrears of national minimum wage and usurpation of headship of non-teaching units in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures.
Others are neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of retirement benefits to outgoing members and non constitution of visitation panels to universities.
The unions said “till date, except for the constitution of visitation panels which white papers are yet to see the light of the day, none of the issues as agreed in the October 2020 and February 2021 Memorandum of Action, MoA, have been implemented.”
SSANU, NASU Shut Down Power, Water Supply At UNILAG As Strike Begins
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions (NASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter have shut down electricity and water supply to the university, following the commencement of a two-week industrial action.
The strike action began midnight of Sunday, March 27, joining the Academic Staff Union (ASUU) to cripple both academic and administrative activities in the university.
Court denies Abba Kyari, others bail
NIWA seeks navy’s help over insecurity on waterways
The decision to commence the strike action, according the unions, followed the nonchalant attitude of government to their demands.
Addressing Union members at the front of UNILAG Senate building, Chairman of SSANU, Comrade Showunmi Olushola, popularly known as Eko 4 Show, decried failure of government to review salaries and implement promotion arrears as well as non-payment and in some cases haphazard payment of retirees’ benefits among others.
He also condemned the inconsistencies in the Integrated Payment Personnel System (IPPIS), saying the attendant problems remain unabated.
After the congress, the union members stormed the service area housing Akoka Electricity Transmission Station to shut down power and water supply to the university.
Comrade Olushola, who was in company of his NASU counterpart, Comrade Aderibigbe Ayooluwa, said with the shutdown, nothing will work on campus as all offices are expected to be under lock and key.
He directed members of both unions to stay at home through out the period of the strike, saying, “No service is essential at this time, stay off campus, no concession under any guise.”
The union leaders further directed all security guards and drivers to comply with the strike action and remain at home while the union moved from office to office, sending away their members who had resumed work.
They emphasised that if at the end of the two weeks, government does not respond, they will commence a total strike action.
ASUU had on February 14, commenced a four-week warning strike over failure of government to address their demands.
At the end of the four weeks, the strike was extended to another eight weeks. The National Association of Technologist had also last week commenced its own two-weeks warning strike.