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SSANU threatens indefinite strike over withheld salaries
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has said it may be forced to go into full blown strike if witheld salaries of workers were not paid after its one-week warning strike expires.
SSANU Vice President, Western Zone, Comr. Abdulsobur Salaam made the assertion on Tuesday at the plenary session preceeding the 73rd Regular /Statutory meeting of Zonal Executive Council of Western Zone held at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.
Comr. Salaam said the Federal Government had failed to adhere to the agreement it entered into with the union about not taking any punitive measures about the strike the union embarked upon in 2022.
He said it was unfortunate that the four months salaries that were withheld then have not been paid in spite of several calls and warning to the government.
Recalled that the union had on March 19, 2024 embarked on a one-week warning strike following the inability of the Federal Government to pay the withheld salaries of non-academic staff in public universities in the country.
These salaries were seized during their strike in 2022 under the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari.
The vice president said the government’s lack of concern to workers’ welfare was a high level of aparthy which may force the union to resort to the last option of reconciliation which is strike.
He said: “During the warning strike, it was as if heavens were going to fall, but immediately after it was called off, they have retreated and there has been no response so far, from the government.
“What we have witnessed is high level of aparthy and unconcern with respect to the issues because the strike has been concluded.
“We shall be recalibrating and engaging ourselves in various meetings at our various levels in the union.
“But, without preempting, it is only natural that where there is discontent and dissatisfaction with the state of affairs particularly regarding the welfare of our members, going on total and comprehensive strike will not be out of place.”
He added that it was not that the unioin was always eager to down tools, but it is the only language the government understood when it comes to workers’ welfare.
”We do not want this matter to degenerate into us having to go into full blown strike, because with strike, we are all casualties including workers because no one wants to sit at home idle.
“So, we are not eager to do that and that is why we have continued to use every instrument at our disposal to continue to call on Nigerians to plead with the Federal Government to do the needful in respect to our issues.
“But if that fails, we shall be left with no other option than to do that.
“The idea behind no work no pay is to dehumanise us and make us unable to speak when issues arises and we have defied it by going on a one week warning strike and we can defer it further,” the western zone vice president said.
He however lamented that it was typical of the federal government to be insensitive to matters that do not affect them directly, especially the issue of workers in the country.
”It is only typical of the government when it is not matters that concern them, they wont respond.
”Imagine that it was a matter of approval for members of the House of Representatives or Senate, you will see the speed with which they would have responded.
”But because it is a matter that affects common worker, they can treat common workers with contempt and disdain, that is why we are where we are today, and that is the bane of the Nigerian system affecting Nigerian workers,” he said.
Chairman SSANU KWASU branch, Comr. Abdulsalam Kannike said the meeting was an avenue to critically review SSANU activities and challenges and commended KWASU management for prioritising workers’ welfare.
Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Shayk Lukman-Jimoh, represented by Prof. Emmanuel Ajani said it was imperative to prioritise workers’ welfare in any institution optimum performance.
The meeting comprised of executives from 25 universities in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Kwara.
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