Strike: FG, ASUU meeting ends in deadlock

The ongoing strike action embarked by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to press home their demands may last for a long time.

This is as strong indications emerged on Wednesday that the conciliatory meeting called by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to deliberate on the strike by the ASUU, ended in deadlock.

The Federal Government has declared the strike as illegal, insisting that the demands raised by the union members were already being met but ASUU thinks otherwise.

Addressing stakeholders at the meeting, Ngige described the ongoing strike as a clear breach of the law, adding that the union did not go through the normal process before embarking on the industrial action.

He who faulted the ASUU’s action, argued that the union did not give the Federal Government the minimum 14 days strike notice prescribed by the law to embark on a strike.

His words, “I saw their letter in my office on February 18, which is last Friday and as you know, they started their action on Monday, February 14. So, it is a clear breach of labour laws. There are violations.

“If you must notify us of an intending strike action, you give us a minimum of 14 days’ notice. I pointed out to them that we are a country guided by laws. Nobody is above the law. They should obey it.”

The meeting between the warring parties may continue on Monday next week as Ngige vowed to approach the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to also intervene.

“By Monday, we would have dealt with some of the issues they are talking about and return to them for further discussion. We will meet again with them and the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and we take it from there.” Ngige had stated.

The lecturers’ body has been engaging the FG on issues such as Earned Academic Allowances, promotion arrears, the sudden introduction of Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system, and observed inconsistencies emanating from its implementation, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, the funding for revitalisation of public universities among others.

ASUU wants the IPPIS to be replaced with its own University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).