Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, has declared the strike action by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities as illegal.
Ngige speaking over the weekend at a meeting with the representatives of SSANU and NASU said it will be illegal for the union to proceed on strike when discussions to sort out some of the issues were still ongoing.
The Minister warned that if the negotiation and what has been agreed is not obeyed, the ministry may have to refer the dispute to the national industrial court.
“We will not claim ignorance of the fact that unions in the University system had given a notice of strike.
“They said IPPIS has affected some of their allowances. Those in the University system who have not received their own payment have been notified that was an unintentional omission while the government on its own has compiled the amount involved up to January with effect from 19th April 2019.
“After the meeting with Mr President, we urge the unions not to carry out the action because it will disrupt the progress being made.
“Moreso, I have received a letter from them giving us a new date for the continuation of the dialogue, they proposed a new date of Thursday 11th of February,” he said.
