Half-salaries: ASUU strike, not again

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has asked for the cooperation of Nigerians as it “continues to pursue positive resolution of this avoidable crisis within the ambit of legality without compromising the interests and welfare of Nigerian intellectuals.”

The union held an overnight National Executive Council meeting in Abuja following the payment of half salaries to members of the union.

“The Academic Staff Union of Universities suspended its eight-month strike on 14th October 2022, in obedience to the order of the National Industrial Court and in further consideration of intervention efforts of well-meaning Nigerians, including the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The action of the Union was a display of manifest trust in the judiciary and other institutions and organs of government to always put national interest above all other considerations.

This, we believe, as a union of thinkers, intellectuals, and patriots, will not only aid the process of amicable resolution of the crisis but will also set the tone for smooth industrial relations between Government and Nigerian workers at large.

“Unfortunately, the response of the government towards ASUU’s demonstration of trust was the so-called ‘pro-rata’ payment for eighteen days as the October 2022 salaries of academics thereby portraying them as daily paid workers! This is not only an aberration but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment for academics the world over.

“At an emergency meeting of the ASUU’s National Executive Committee held on Monday, 7th November, 2022, the Union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike. NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on pro-rata basis, like casual workers, is unprecedented in the history of university-oriented labour relations and therefore condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its entirety.

“NEC commends the membership of ASUU for their perseverance in the face of untold hardship and unwarranted provocation by some notorious agents of the ruling class.

“NEC further appeals for the understanding of Nigerian students, parents and other genuinely concerned individuals and groups while the Union continues to pursue positive resolution of this avoidable crisis within the ambit of legality without compromising the interests and welfare of Nigerian intellectuals.”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has appealed for calm over the issues between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government. This is in response to the half salaries reportedly paid to lecturers by the FG.

Gbajabiamila, in a statement on Monday, said the FG acted in the interest of the law, adding that it was the government’s legitimate interest in preventing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions.

Gbajabiamila said, “When ASUU called off their industrial action three weeks ago, it meant that academic activities could resume in our nation’s public universities, and students could return to their academic pursuits after the prolonged interruption. This decision was rightly heralded nationwide as the correct decision.

“Since then, the Executive and the House of Representatives have worked to address the issues that led to the strike. We are currently working on the 2023 Appropriations Bill, which includes the sum of N170bn to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of university lecturers.

“The Bill also includes additional N300bn in revitalisation funds to improve the infrastructure and operations of federal universities.”

“Furthermore, the House of Representatives has convened the Accountant General of the Federation ASUU and other stakeholders to facilitate the adoption of elements of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

This effort, Gbajabiamila said, was being supervised by the Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, Hon. Aminu Suleiman.

“The Executive position that it is not obligated to pay salaries to lecturers for the time spent on strike is premised on the law and the government’s legitimate interest in preventing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions.

“Nonetheless, interventions have been made to explore the possibility of partial payments to the lecturers. We look forward to a favourable consideration by President Buhari, who has manifested his desire to what is prudent and necessary to resolve all outstanding issues,” he stressed.

According to the Speaker, implementing meaningful change takes time, especially when appropriations and modifications to systems such as the IPPIS are required.

“Therefore, I urge all parties to be patient and grant each other the presumption of goodwill to the extent necessary to achieve our shared objectives. This is not a time for political brinkmanship. There is no more pressing objective than to preclude the possibility of further disruptions to the academic calendar of the universities. We must prevent this possibility by all means, as these disruptions risk the promise and potential of our nation’s youth.

“Three weeks ago, I called for a national conversation on the substantive reforms required to address the underlying issues bedevilling public tertiary education in Nigeria. To that end, the House of Representatives is convening a National Summit on Tertiary Education Reform. We have called for papers and memoranda from members of the public. The submissions we receive and expert presentations at the Summit will inform our policy recommendations and actions. I urge all citizens and stakeholders to participate in this crucial effort to reinvent our public tertiary institutions into respected citadels of learning. God bless and keep you all, and God bless our Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Gbajabiamila concluded.

ASUU is hurt over the payment of half salaries. The federal government is claiming to act according to the law, which doesn’t encourage unnecessary industrial action. If the lecturers are paid today for the work they refused to do, another group of workers will stay off work for two years tomorrow and still await payment.

The efforts of the House and its speaker are highly commendable. They have had consultation with the Executive. They have liaised with the Accountant General. They didn’t stop at that. They initiated a public hearing to entertain suggestions on how best to run our tertiary institutions, promising to execute their findings.

In essence, the government has not folded its hands on the matter. There are underground consultations and deliberations on having amicable resolution on the matter.

In any case, we are not advocating for shabby nor ridiculous treatment on the part of our esteemed intellectuals, far from it. We want the best for them. We can only plead with them for leniency and patience.

The lecturers should shun every attempt to embark on another round of strike, no, not again, for posterity sake. We have had it too many. They can always find another way around it other than industrial action.