ASUU to seek legal action over half salaries, urges cooperation students

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it will seek legal action to resolve the issues arising from the payment of half salaries to lecturers by the federal government in order to avert further strike action.

The union resolved to pursue legal action after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC), held on Monday, 7th November 2022, where the Union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike.

Emmanuel Osodeke, president, ASUU, in a statement he signed on Tuesday said the payment of 18-days salary to its members is not only an aberration but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment for academics the world over.

He added that the action also portrays lecturers as casual daily paid workers.

“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,” the statement read.

Read also: ASUU strike: Concerns grow on FG’s decision to cut lecturers’ salaries

Osodeke noted that the decision of the union to suspend its eight-month strike on 14th October 2022, 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.

“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!.”

“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”,” the statement read.