The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has told the federal government and its negotiating agents, Ministers of Labour and Education, Chris Ngige and Adamu Adamu that the members of the Union are not casual workers but intellectuals.
This was disclosed by the President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the ASUU President, the union suspended its eight month strike in obedience to the order of the National Industrial Court and in furtherance of the intervention efforts of some concerned Nigerians, especially the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
He stated that what they did was a manifest trust in the judiciary and other organs of the government to always put national interest above all other considerations.
However, the President of ASUU explained that despite their sacrifice and obedience to the rule of the court, the response of 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.
He described the action of the Federal government as not only an aberration, but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment for academics the world over.
According to him, at an emergency meeting of the ASUU’s National Executive Committee (NEC), on Monday, November 7, 2022, the Union reviewed the developments since the suspension of the strike adding that the NEC, observed with dismay the paying academics on “pro-rata” basis, like casual workers.
He stated that the NEC described it as unprecedented in the history of university-oriented labour relations and therefore condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its entirety.
He explained that the NEC commended the members of ASUU for their perseverance in the face of untold hardship and unwarranted provocation by some notorious agents of the ruling class.
He seek and appealed for the understanding of Nigerian students, parents and other genuinely concerned individuals and groups while the Union continues to pursue positive resolution of the avoidable crisis within the ambit of legality without compromising the interests and welfare of Nigerian intellectuals.
The ASUU statement reads in Full:
“The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) 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 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 contraventions 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 (NEC), 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.”
