Nigerian University Workers Threaten To Begin Strike On Monday Over Withheld Salaries

University workers under the auspices of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), have threatened to commence one-week warning strike nationwide from Monday, March 18, 2024, if the federal government fails to pay members the four months withheld salaries as approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The union also demanded the implementation of the agreement on 25 percent and 35 percent pay rise reached in 2023, before the commencement of new minimum wage negotiations.

They described the withholding of members’ salaries as a breach of the post-strike agreement with the government on non-victimisation of its members who participated in the six-month strike.

In the communique signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, the union listed 26 federal and state universities that were still owing its members arrears of the national minimum wage adjustment.

SSANU had along with its sister union – NASU- had demanded that the federal government urgently pay four months withheld salaries to members, failing which they would no longer guarantee industrial peace in the institutions.

In communique released at the end of its 47th National Executive Council meeting (NEC) held at the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, SSANU, said it viewed the delay in the implementation of the approved wage award and payment of withheld salaries as the handiwork, “of saboteurs bent on destabilising and destroying the good intent of Mr. President towards sustaining industrial peace in the University system.

“NEC-in-session therefore calls on the relevant authorities of government to immediately implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the four months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has approved a one-week warning strike in conjunction with our sister union – NASU.

“By Monday, all our public universities will be shutdown, there won’t electricity, there won’t be water and the hostels and classrooms will be shut.” SSANU said the federal government had in 2023, awarded a wage increase of 25 percent and 35 percent to its members for which a corresponding salary structure had even been circulated via a letter from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission in September last year.

However, the union expressed sadness that over six months after, the wage award has not been implemented in the monthly salaries of members even though the sum of N100 billion naira was provided for in the budget for that purpose.

SSANU said they would want the federal government to implement the 25 percent and 35 percent wage increase by factoring it into the monthly salaries of members

It lamented that the value of the salary increase has already been eroded, adding that any further delay would drastically reduce the purchasing power and value of the money.

“We demand this implementation before renegotiation of the new national minimum wage for which government has already set up a Committee, it said.

“NEC also demands that government expedite action on the renegotiation of the new national minimum wage as the current national minimum wage has completely been made useless by the hyperinflation currently ravaging the country,” it added.

SSANU also urged the federal government to stop foot-dragging on the issue of re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreement and commence the process.

In addition, the union expressed dismay over alleged delay by government to pay members the outstanding Earned Allowances, despite several letters and correspondences and interactions written to it.

“We are aware that the sum of N50 billion was appropriated in the 2023 budget for this purpose. NEC therefore calls on government to as a matter of urgency release the already appropriated funds for payment of Earned Allowances to our members to avert any industrial disharmony in the University system,” it added.

SSANU further said 26 universities owned by the federal government and some states were still in arrears of payment of the last national minimum wage approved in 2018.

The affected institutions it listed included Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State; Federal University, Dutsima, Katsina State; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State; Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State; Federal University Kashere, Gombe State; University of Maiduguri, Borno State; Modibo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State; University of Benin, Benin, Edo State and College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba Lagos State.

Others are the University of Calabar Cross River State; University of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State; Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State; Federal University, Lokoja Kogi State; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State; Nigeria French Language Village, Lagos State; Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike, Ebonyi State; University of Illorin, Illorin, Kwara State; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State; Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State; Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State; National Institute for Nigerian Languages, Aba, Abia State; University of Lagos, Lagos State; Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Adamawa State University, Mubi, Adamawa State, and Taraba State University, Jalingo Taraba State.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo