SSANU, NASU threaten indefinite strike over unpaid salaries

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have issued a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the payment of outstanding salaries or face an indefinite strike.

The unions are calling for the payment of four months’ withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

Despite the Federal Government’s invocation of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy during the 2022 strike, the government has not settled the arrears, even after a 10-day grace period expired on July 26, 2024.

In a joint statement signed by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions declared that if the salaries are not paid within the new deadline, they would be forced to commence an indefinite strike.

The statement noted that President Bola Tinubu had approved the payment of the salaries on July 18, 2024, following discussions with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress(TUC). However, the payment has yet to be made.

It added that the President has approved the actual release of the payment, noting “regrettably, despite these approvals, nothing has been forthcoming.”

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Ibrahim said, “It is in light of the above that we inform the government of the decision of the National JAC of NASU and SSANU, at the meeting held on 12th September 2024, that the government is given a final three-week ultimatum from Tuesday, 17th September 2024, to pay the four months’ withheld salaries and implement the agreement reached on 20th August 2022. Failing this, our members may be forced to embark on indefinite strike action at the expiration of the ultimatum.”