ASUU Will Not Embark on Fresh Strike- President

• ASUU will not embark on fresh strike- President and other branch members reveal to the public
• The union has said it would rather embrace peaceful negotiations with the Government over the payment of half-salaries instead of embarking on an industrial action
• Other branches of the union will meet later in the week to brief their members on decisions made at the ASUU NEC meeting

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it will not embark on a fresh strike after calling off its 8-month-old strike in October.

Recall that the union criticized the Federal Government’s decision to pay the University workers half their salaries instead of making total payments. The criticism, therefore, sparked reactions from various authorities and the general public who thought a fresh strike would be the next line of action.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH, however, the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke revealed that the union would rather engage in peaceful negotiation rather than embark on industrial action.

Prof. Osodeke said that ASUU would continually chase after the resolution of avoidable crises without compromising the welfare of educationists.

The statement read in part: “At an emergency meeting of the ASUU’s National Executive Committee, held on Monday, November 7, 2022, the union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike. NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a “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.”

Still addressing the possibility of yet another strike, a source disclosed to PUNCH correspondents that the likelihood of the union embarking on another strike was very low as the case is still very much in court.

He said: “You know the case is still in court, we have not been called back yet. The previous strike was suspended based on court order, if we decide to go on strike, the minister may use that opportunity to say they want to proscribe ASUU. There are lots of court cases on ground already. We need the court to settle it once and for all. Our hands are tied. Only the court can rule. The minister knows this and that is why he is acting this way.”

ASUU Branches Speak On The Impending Strike

Some resolutions were made at the recent emergency meeting held by the National Executive Committee of ASUU. One of such resolution is that branches of ASUU in various institutions will meet during the week to brief members on the issues discussed and decisions made at the meeting.

Speaking on the impending industrial action, a member of ASUU, University of Lagos branch, Prof. Poju Tejumaiye said that the branch would meet on Thursday and that there was no strike in view.

He said: “There won’t be strike action. Everybody is trying to avoid the foolishness of Ngige. We don’t want to play into his hands. We will continue with our lectures while consultation also continues. Because of Gbajabiamila, we will wait for the father of the nation to respond, but I know my people won’t wait endlessly.”