The Federal Government is set to meet with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) today to address the issue of withheld salaries and avert a potential strike.
The meeting comes after a two-week ultimatum issued by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU, which expires today. The unions are demanding the payment of four months' withheld salaries, as directed by President Bola Tinubu in October last year.
The Federal Government had invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the four university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022. However, President Tinubu granted amnesty to the university workers and directed that four months of the withheld salaries be paid.
While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been paid their four months' withheld salaries, the other three unions, including SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), are yet to receive their payment, leading to tension and threats of a strike.
The meeting is scheduled to take place today July 4, 2024 at the Office of the Minister of Education at 1 pm, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment is also expected to meet with the unions at 3 pm. The government is seeking to persuade the unions not to go on strike, and the unions have agreed to honour the invitation.