SSANU, NASU Begin Seven-day Strike Today
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have commenced a nationwide strike today, citing unfair treatment and salary discrepancies by the Federal Government as reasons for their action.
In a memo released on Friday by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU, Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU’s national president, and Peters Adeyemi, NASU’s general secretary, expressed disappointment with the government’s handling of the situation, particularly in releasing withheld salaries to ASUU while neglecting non-academic staff.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) criticized the government’s approach, which favored academic staff over non-academic staff, leading to the decision to initiate the strike in response to the unresolved issues.
Earlier in the week, SSANU and NASU had issued a warning, threatening to disrupt university operations, including hostel services and power supply, if their demands were not met by today, March 18, 2024.
SSANU President highlighted that members, including Vice Chancellors, registrars, and bursars, have yet to receive their 2022 arrears, further exacerbating the discontent among the non-academic staff.
The memo reiterated the seriousness of the strike action, calling for full compliance from all SSANU and NASU branches across universities and inter-university centers.
It emphasized the need for a comprehensive and unwavering approach during the seven-day strike period, with no room for concessions.”Please note that the 7-day warning strike should be comprehensive and total, as no concession should be given in any guise,” the memo stated, underscoring the mandatory nature of strict compliance with the directive for all NASU and SSANU branches.
As the strike commences, it raises concerns about the potential disruption to academic activities and underscores the urgency for dialogue and resolution to address the grievances of the non-academic staff in Nigerian universities.Credit: Nigeria Info