The National leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced a temporary suspension of their ongoing indefinite strike action, effective Tuesday, November 5.
In a circular addressed to branch chairmen, the JAC expressed gratitude to its members for their steadfast support since the strike began on October 28.
The unions had embarked on strike over the federal government’s failure to meet their pressing demands including issues surrounding withheld salaries.
The document signed by President, SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim and General Secretary, NASU, Peters Adeyemi noted that after extensive negotiations with key government officials—including the new Minister of Education, the Minister of Finance, and the leadership of the Department of State Services—the government committed to pay two months of the four months’ withheld salaries in staggered payments.
The first month is expected to be completed by the end of October, while the second will be settled by the end of November.
Discussions regarding outstanding issues, including the remaining two months of withheld salaries, N50 billion in earned allowances, and wage awards, will continue as part of ongoing negotiations, according to the unions.
The leadership of NASU and SSANU thanked their members for their unity and perseverance during the period of the industrial action.
“Branch leaders of both NASU and SSANU are hereby directed to convene a joint Congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 4 November, 2024 and intimate members of these developments and urge them to resume work on Tuesday, 5th November, 2024.
“We wish to also reiterate that discussions on the remaining 2 months, the N50 billion Earned Allowances, Arrears of 25/35 per cent and the Wage Award have been revisited and are undergoing deliberations.
“Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation in this regard; we appreciate your total commitment and resoluteness during this struggle,” the circular said.
