The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have asked their members to commence a seven-day warning strike beginning on Monday, March 18.
The action was taken by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both unions.
According to a statement signed by the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, the directive indicated that there would be a complete blackout in all the universities.
The directive would also affect water treatment plants and clinics, while those involved in the proposed matriculations in some universities are to stay away from any activities.
President Bola Tinubu had directed that university workers who were on prolonged strike in 2022 and had their salaries stopped by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari after the invocation of the “No work, no pay” policy, be paid four months of the withheld salaries.
While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members have received their withheld salaries, the non-teaching staff, comprising SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) are yet to receive any payment.
To express their dismay at the preferential treatment, SSANU and NASU through JAC, issued an ultimatum to the government, but the ultimatum expired without any action from the federal government.
The two unions thereafter gave a seven day warning strike notice to commence on March 18 if the government failed to attend to their demand.
In a statement on Friday March 15, JAC of the two unions lamented that the government had remained adamant to the strike notice and therefore directed that the warning strike should commence today.
The statement explained that all the notices to the relevant government officials have produced no positive results.
The statement titled: “Commencement of a 7-day warning strike,” read: “The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU has inundated the Federal Government with the need to pay the withheld 4 months’ salaries of our members in the Federal Universities and Inter-University Centres as done for our Academic counterpart to no avail.
“As a matter of fact, the attention of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, OON, the Honourable Minister of Education was called to this injustice and unfair treatment of our members in our letter referenced JAC/NS/VOL.II/277 dated 13th February, 2024 and to also inform them to resolve the issue positively before it leads to unnecessary upheaval in our University Sector.
“In a similar vein, a press release was issued on 1st March, 2024 and the Federal Government was given 7-days ultimatum to do the needful in respect of the payment of the withheld 4 months’ salaries but nothing was done on the same.
“Having waited patiently for the ultimatum to expire without a positive response to our demand by the government, this is to direct our members in the Universities and Inter- University Centres throughout the country to commence a 7-day warning strike effective Monday, 18th March, 2024 in the first instance.
“Please note that the 7-day warning strike should be comprehensive and total as no concession should be given in any guise.
“Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive is mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branches in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.”