NON-TEACHING workers
in the universities have
declared a seven-day warning
strike beginning from today to
compel the Federal
Government to implement an
agreement they claimed was
signed with them in 2009.
The action came as the
academic workers in the
universities ended their own
warning strike at the
weekend.
The striking unions are the
Senior Staff Association of
Nigeria Universities
(SSANU), National
Association of Academic
Technologists (NAAT) and
Non- Academic Staff Union
of Universities, Educational
and Research Institutions
(NASU).
National President of
SSANU, Samson Ugwoke,
said in Abuja yesterday that
the seven days warning strike
will go ahead despite the
holiday declared by the
Federal Government to mark
Nigeria’s 51st Independence
anniversary.
He said: “SSANU has
concluded arrangements for
effective seven-day warning
strike starting on Monday,
3rd October (today), 2011.
The strike, which is expected
to be total under the auspices
of Joint Action Committee
(JAC) constituted by
SSANU, NASU and
NAAT, is aimed at forcing
the Federal Government to
fully implement the 2009
agreement it willingly signed
with the unions. “Our unions
have lost a great number of
her members as a result of
government’s refusal to honour
the agreement. The agreement
clearly states that from
January 1, 2010 our members
should retire at 65 years, but
government has continued to
retire them on the old order of
60 years or 35 years in
service.
“Also issues such as earned
allowances (field trip/
teaching practice/industrial
supervision allowances,
hazard allowances, deanship
of student affairs, among
others, have not been
addressed almost two years
after agreements were
consummated. Recall that the
agreement spanned through
two years costing our unions
colossal sums of money. That
shows that government is not
sincere and serious with us
from the onset.” .
The SSANU chief added
that the non-academic workers
have been mobilised for
effective industrial action
with all the relevant organs’
meetings held.
His words: “We have fully
mobilised our members all over
the country ready for the
commencement of the warning
strike. We have successfully
held our zonal and branches
meetings and also congresses
during which members were
well informed and directed to
fully comply and ensure
success of the strike. All
branches have received letters
of authority to proceed on
strike from Monday, 3rd
October, 2011. University
authorities across the country
have been served with
necessary documents in respect
of the strike.”