SSANU, NASU end warning seven-day strike

In a circular to branch chairmen of public universities across the country, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim directed members of the union and those of NASU to resume work today.

The two unions began a seven-day warning strike last Monday over withheld salaries.

Members of the unions in registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, and students’ affairs withdrew their services throughout the period of the warning strike.

It was that hostels and university gates were locked up and electricity supply cut off while the strike lasted.

SSANU and NASU protested the withheld salaries of their members by the Federal Government.

Both unions berated the Federal Government for paying withheld salaries to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while neglecting those of non-academic unions.

All the unions had embarked on an eight-month strike in 2022 to press home some of their demands, including a better welfare package.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration subsequently invoked a ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ against the unions but President Bola Tinubu, last October, approved the release of four of the eight months withheld salaries.

SSANU and NASU accused the Federal Government of unfair treatment and discrimination by failing to pay them like their academic counterparts.

The unions, after an initial notice on March 11, shut down hostels, power supply, security and administrative works in universities across the country.

Labour Minister Nkiruka Onyejeocha described the unions’ action as a total disregard for Federal Government’s concerted effort to address their concerns.

But SSANU and NASU said upon evaluation of the seven-day action, “the tempo of the warning strike has been massive, comprehensive and total in most of our universities and inter-universities centres”.

They saluted the “dedication, resoluteness and loyalty of members to the cause of the union’s struggle for the payment of four months’ withheld salaries”.

“Consequently, you are hereby informed that the seven-day warning strike shall end at midnight of Sunday, March 24, 2024 and normal work will resume on Monday, March 25, 2024,” the circular said.