Another ASUU strike signifies danger, HURIWA warns FG

• Nigeria Students are already fuming against another looming ASUU strike
• Group warns FG that ASUU strike could lead to a revolution
• Femi Falana has advised FG to pay ASUU members their full salaries.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has advised the Federal Government against taking a chance on another ASUU strike, or industrial action, and warned that doing so could lead to a revolution.

This is coming after learning that the Academic Staff Union of Staff Universities (ASUU) and the President Muhammadu Buhari administration are once again at odds less than four weeks after the lecturers ended their eight-month strike, the

The group lamented that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige’s “bellicose,’s position (posture)” was indicative of the current administration’s “nonchalance to education rights of children of the poor and less-privileged in society, as the (wards of political elite) are educated abroad,” alluding to widespread reports that the university teachers were allegedly paid half salary for October 2022.

HURIWA warned the government that by “pushing millions of youth in the public university system to the wall,” it is playing with fire.

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Moreso, student leaders across the nation have issued dire warnings about what would happen if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) went on another strike as the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union is scheduled to meet today.

ASUU made the decision to call an emergency meeting in response to the salary reduction that union members will experience in October 2022, just a few weeks after the long-running industrial action was put on hold.

Findings state that the purpose of the emergency meeting is to decide whether or not to launch another strike.

A member of the union who does not want his name mentioned because he is not authorized to speak said, “I can confirm that, ASUU NEC will meet on Monday, November 7, to take a decision on strike or not. This is an aftermath of half-salary paid by the Nigerian government.”

Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), who is the lead counsel to ASUU, in a statement on Sunday, explained why the ‘no work, no pay’ policy could not be applicable to ASUU.

In parts, Falana said, “According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the lecturers were paid in pro rata to the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action.

“The position of the Federal Government is factually faulty and legally misleading. Since the industrial action was called off, the public universities have adjusted their calendars to ensure that the 2021–2022 academic session is not canceled.

“Consequently, students are currently taking lectures or writing examinations that were disrupted during the strike at the ASUU. Therefore, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the ASUU strike, the doctrine of “no work, no pay” is totally inapplicable, as students who were not taught during the strike are currently attending lectures and writing examinations.

“Furthermore, it is public knowledge that the members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors embarked on a strike that lasted two months last year. The Federal Government dragged the striking doctors to the National Industrial Court, which ordered the NARD to call off the strike.

“As soon as the strike was called off, President Muhammadu Buhari jettisoned the “no work, no pay” principle and ordered the payment of the salaries for the two months that the strike lasted. On that occasion, the President overruled Dr. Chris Ngige in the interest of industrial harmony in the health sector.

“In view of the foregoing, since the Federal Government is mandatorily required to treat all workers equally, the members of ASUU are entitled to be treated like members of the NARD after they had called off their strike.

“In other words, as members of ASUU and NARD are entitled to equality of rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law, the lecturers should be paid their salaries withheld during the period of the recently suspended 8-month industrial action.

“However, in view of the undeniable fact that the members of the two newly registered unions in the universities were on strike like members of ASUU the
plan of the Ministry of Labour and Employment to pay the Congress of University Academics their withheld salaries and rectify the ‘half salaries’ paid to all lecturers under the newly registered union should be shelved. Otherwise, the provocative agenda will cause a fresh industrial action in public universities.”