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 announced an indefinite strike set to begin on Monday, News About Nigeria reports.
This decision follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the federal government to address four months of withheld salaries.
The strike action is a direct response to the government’s lack of action on salary payments, withheld during the 2022 strike when the “No Work, No Pay” policy was enforced.
JAC leaders Mohammed Ibrahim, National President of SSANU, and Prince Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU, confirmed that the unions had previously extended a 10-day grace period, which ended on July 26, 2024, to resolve the outstanding salary issue.
In a statement, the unions pointed out the government’s lack of response to repeated ultimatums and discussions, which included assurances of payment.
“It is quite appalling that we have issued several ultimatums thereafter with no positive result from the government; it is, therefore, obvious that the government is not positively disposed to our rightful and legitimate demands in spite of several interactions, dialogues, exchange of correspondences, and assurances of payment, all to no avail.
“We have exercised considerable and prolonged patience, allowing multiple deadlines to pass without receiving a satisfactory response to our demands by the government,” the statement read.
As a result, all NASU and SSANU members across federal, state-owned universities, and inter-university centres have been directed to hold joint congresses on Monday, October 28, and commence an indefinite, total strike.
State-owned universities may also address local demands as part of the action.
“Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive are mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branches in both federal and state-owned universities as well as inter-university centres,” it added.
