VARSITY WORKERS TO START STRIKE ON TUESDAY

Story by: John Uzor

University workers in the country are set to start a three-day warning strike on Tuesday, 16-09-2008, over the lingering monetization arrears, negotiation on salary structure and 65 years retirement age. The senior staff Association of Nigeria has already instructed its members to start the action following its National Council Meeting at the University of Abuja on Friday.

In a letter sent to the new secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale, by the President of SSANU, Mr. Promise Adewusi, the association said there is no going back on the planned strike.

The letter was also copied to the ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities commission, the President, the Speaker House of Representatives and all Vice-Chancellors. The letter reads “Following our notice of strike action dated August 19, 2008 addressed to the Ministry of Education, we regret to inform you that as a result of the insensitivity of the government officials and agencies to the flight of our members.

“SSANU – NEC at its emergency meeting on September 12, 2008 resolved to go on a three day warning strike with effect from Tuesday September 16, 2008. in coming to this painful resolution, SSANU – NEC which would otherwise have directed an indefinite strike defend to president Umaru Yar’Adua and took cognizance of the fact that he has only returned to his office after performing the lesser Hajj”.

We gathered the main anger of the University workers include non-implementation of the 65 years retirement age of members over seven years after it was collectively agreed upon between SSANU and the Federal Government non-payment of two years arrears of monetization (2003 – 2005) and the unending negotiation of the 2001 collective agreement between Federal Government and the SSANU.

SSANU also said it was disheartening that a meeting called on Thursday by the Minister of Education did not yield any positive result. “Rather than take pragmatic steps to resolve the issues, the Minister had insisted he was not going to dialogue with the Union but was merely directing the union on what not to do while the National University Commission was threatening the union and daring it to go on Strike” the SSANU said.

 

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