Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have stated their resolve to proceed on strike immediately schools reopen.
Samson Ugwoke, Chairman, Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the unions, at a press briefing in Abuja, stated that the unions are protesting the lingering Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) debacle, non-payment of arrears of earned allowance and minimum wage.
The unions’ joint resolution was signed by Ugwoke, who is also SSANU President, and Peters Adeyemi, NASU General Secretary.
The unions are also decrying alleged lack of seriousness by the Babalakin Committee renegotiating the 2009 FG/NASU, SSANU agreements, poor funding of universities, absence of visitation panels, and other issues.
Ugwoke lamented that after many other sectors had been paid minimum wage, university workers were still left out.
“We find this development totally unwholesome. Given the time lag of over a year since it was implemented in other sectors, members of the public would agree that we have been patient enough in the university system.”
The unions decried that despite series of letters by the IPPIS since February, members were still facing salary issues.
”Pay us the arrears of both earned allowances and minimum wage, among others”, Ugwoke told the government.
Ugwoke warned that if schools are asked to reopen and the needful was not done, industrial conflict would be inevitable.
