Education

ASUU: We won’t call off strike despite payment of arrears

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says the union will not call off its ongoing industrial action despite the payment of minimum wage arrears by the Federal Government.

ASUU made this known via a circular issued by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) branch of the union on Saturday.

The circular was titled, ‘Payment of minimum wage arrears’.

It read: “The leadership of our branch has been inundated with calls concerning the recent payment of the long-overdue arrears of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.

“Our members are reminded that this is not one of the core demands upon which the ongoing strike action is premised.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the demands of our union are the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, abrogation of the fraudulent and corrupt IPPIS scheme and the deployment of UTAS, payment of promotion arrears, the proliferation of state universities and governance issues amongst others.

“While our union welcomes this unsolicited payment, our members should please conserve the funds and spend wisely so as to energise our struggle until all our demands are satisfactorily met

“Our union commends the resolve and sacrifice of our members in enthroning a university system that is globally competitive.

“United we bargain! Divided we beg! A people united can never be defeated. Solidarity forever,” the union stated.

The Star had reported that as part of efforts to end the ongoing industrial action by ASUU and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Federal Government (FG) had commenced the payment of minimum wage arrears, which it owed the lecturers.

The payment of the minimum wage arrears was confirmed by the National President of ASUP, Dr. Anderson Ezeibe, and the Chairman, ASUU, FUTMinna, Dr. Gbolahan Bolarin, on Thursday.

ASUU and ASUP are currently on strike following the inability of the Federal Government to meet their demands.

While ASUU commenced its industrial action on February 14, 2022, ASUP is currently on an initial two-week warning strike.

The demands of ASUU include the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with government in December 2020 on funding for revitalisation of public universities (both federal and states), renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ ASUU Agreement, and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

Other outstanding issues are earned academic allowances, promotion arrears, withheld salaries, non-remittance of third-party deductions, and rejection of UTAS that ASUU technical team developed to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The Star