JUST IN: ASUU joins NLC, TUC striking workers, shut down academic activities in varsities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has joined the ongoing strike by organised labour, which includes the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

This comes after the federal government failed to meet unions’ minimum wage demands.

On Monday, ASUU President 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 from Monday, 3rd June 2024, as a result of the failure of Government to conclude the renegotiation of minimum wage for Nigerian workers and reversal of hike in 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 had been contemplating a strike action after decrying the failure of FG to appoint Governing Councils for Federal Universities.

The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters about academics in Nigerian Federal Universities.

The body, during a press briefing at the University of Abuja, also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

The body said it saw the increment as a wage award that the government could withdraw at any time.

News360 Nigeria 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 directive was based on a similar order by President Bola Tinubu three days earlier to dissolve the boards of all government parastatals, agencies, and companies.

Ahead of this, the body has decided to join the strike as an affiliate of NLC and might continue even after FG resolves the minimum wage issue with the striking unions.