ASUP Issues One-Month Strike Ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the Federal government a one-month deadline to resume strike action.

After reaching an agreement with the government, the union decided to call off its 61-day strike in June 2021.

ASUP's national president, Anderson Uzeibe, told journalists at the end of the 102nd National Executive Council meeting in Yola that the decision was required because the government failed to fulfill key sections of the memorandum of action inked with the union nine months ago.

According to Uzeibe, the government has failed to deliver the first tranche of the N800 billion revitalisation budget, which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari nine months ago.

Non-payment of outstanding minimum wage arrears, non-release of reviewed normative instrument for institutions, management, and accreditation, violation of the Federal Polytechnic Act as revised in 2019, and delay in the appointment of rectors are among the other difficulties.

Uzeibe warned that if the government and other polytechnic owners continue to break the law and sign deals, the union will not hesitate to strike, claiming that industrial action has become the most effective means for workers to put pressure on the government.

"Following extensive consideration, the union's National Executive Council has chosen to allow the government another month to address the outstanding issues as enumerated or face a reassessment of our union's postponed industrial action," he said.

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members have been on strike for more than a month.

Last Monday, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) joined, putting academic activity in public universities on solid ground.

The federal government and labor unions have been at odds, with the latter accusing the former of failing to meet most of their demands.