BREAKING: Varsity workers begin strike Monday

Varsity workers will begin a nationwide strike on Monday over the issue of Earned Allowances, sacked workers of University Staff Schools and other sundry issues affecting their members and the university system.

The President of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Chairman of Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, told Tribune Online that the strike will start on Monday.

Ugwoke pointed out that already, their members have been mobilised, while all the non-teaching staff in the university system across the federation have been directed to stay at home from Monday.

The SSANU President, who said the strike will be “comprehensive and total,” however said it would last for five days, from Monday to Friday, to serve as a warning to the Federal Government.

“Yes! The strike will start on Monday, and it will be comprehensive and total. It will last for five days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. To ensure its success, we have already mobilized all our members and they have been directed to stay away from work from Monday.” Ugwoke told Tribune Online .

The unions, under the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet their demands or face a nationwide strike.

The strike, therefore, becomes imperative as the government has failed to respond to their demands, the unions said.

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In a circular issued after the JAC meeting penultimate Thursday and sent to all their branches, the unions warned that at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, they would be left with no other option than withdrawing their services and shutting down the universities; if the government failed to address all their grievances.

Titled: “Notice of Industrial Action,” the circular which was signed by Ugwoke and the General Secretary of NASU, Comrade Peters Adeyemi, lamented the non-challant attitude of the Federal Government towards addressing their grievances and obeying court judgment.

The circular read: “That a 14-day ultimatum of industrial action be given to the Federal Government of Nigeria to address the pending issues with effect from Monday, 5th August 2019. During the period of the ultimatum, all branches are hereby directed to carry out peaceful protest on Tuesday, 6th August, 2019 and Thursday, 15th August,2019 respectively.

“At the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, Sunday 18th August 2019, without any positive response from the Federal Government of Nigeria, members shall proceed on a 5-day warning strike in all branches from Monday 19th to Friday 23rd August, 2019, inclusive.

“You are therefore directed to properly mobilize our members for this action. All defaulting branches shall be sanctioned accordingly.”