The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has joined the ongoing strike by organised labour, which includes the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.
The ASUU strike comes after the federal government failed to meet unions’ minimum wage demands.
On Monday, ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke issued a communiqué to the association’s branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators, directing teachers in universities across the country to join the strike as an affiliate of the congress.
The statement read, “The NLC has declared an indefinite strike action beginning on Monday, June 3, 2024, as a result of the failure of the government to conclude the renegotiation of the minimum wage for Nigerian workers and the reversal of the hike in the electricity tariff.
“Our branches are hereby enjoined to join in the strike action as an affiliate member of Congress.
“Consequently, branch chairpersons are to mobilise all members to participate in the strike action. Yours in the struggle.”
Recall that ASUU was considering a strike after protesting the failure of the FG to appoint governing councils for federal universities.
ASUU also criticised the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government’s lack of concern for academic concerns in Nigerian federal universities.
The body, during a press briefing at the University of Abuja, also criticised the 35% compensation increase for professors and the 25% salary increase for other academics in the university system.
The body interpreted the increase as a pay award that the government might rescind at any time.
Chronicle NG reports that the National Universities Commission announced the dissolution of the governing councils of all federal universities and boards of other agencies and parastatals in the country on June 22, 2023.
The NUC mandate followed a similar order issued three days earlier by President Bola Tinubu to disband the boards of all government parastatals, organisations, and corporations.
Ahead of this, the body has decided to join the strike as an NLC affiliate, which may continue even after FG resolves the minimum wage problem with the striking unions.
