ASUU Strike: Nigerian Government May Withdraw From Future Negotiations, Pledges to Resolve Current Standoff
The Nigerian government may be considering withdrawing from future negotiations with university workers' unions, as Education Minister Adamu Adamu has instructed the governing boards of each university to "show their commitment to put an end to the labor dispute raging in their universities".< /p>
The minister made the revelation on Tuesday during a meeting with the chancellors and vice-chancellors of universities belonging to the federal government.
The meeting, held at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, was convened by the Minister to assess the seven-month industrial action by the teachers' union.
Mr. Adamu, however, reiterated the government's stance on the "no work, no pay" policy, saying President Muhammadu Buhari's administration will stick to what the law says on labor matters. p> On categorical ASUU
Mr. Adamu, who said he received the news of the indefinite extension of the strike by ASUU with shock, added that the government was doing everything possible to settle all disputes with the aggrieved workers.
He said: "To be frank with all the unions, especially the ASUU, one of the main issues on which the government and the unions could not come to an amicable agreement was the issue of the "No Work, No Pay" law. In the spirit of sincerity, the government has made it clear that it will not break the law. And on this I must openly and once again thank all the unions who have made the sacrifice to understand the government's position on this matter.”
Tasks of the university councilsThe minister, who hinted at the possibility of the government abdicating responsibility for future negotiations with unions, called on university boards to be proactive in how they engage unions and tackle problems head-on.
He said: "Not only is our interaction today necessary, but there is also an urgent need to clarify misrepresentations and bring to your attention the facts that you, as leaders of our universities, should know. under the duties assigned to you. It is indeed one of your legal duties to negotiate with your workers on matters of their welfare and conditions of service.
"As the most important officers of our university system, professional chancellors and vice-chancellors must show greater commitment to ending the ongoing strike.
"As presidents of councils and senates - the highest political and academic bodies in the system - you must consider it your primary duty to promote policies and actions that will discourage labor disputes on our campus. The government will continue to support the physical and academic development of its universities. The government will continue to reasonably improve the working conditions of all academic and non-academic staff. The main challenge, as you well know, is the dwindling resources available to respond to all citizen concerns."
The Minister also referred to what he described as ASUU President Emmanuel Osedeke's position that his union will no longer negotiate with the government.
On this point, Mr. Adamu said, the position of the government and ASUU on future negotiations coincided.
However, he said ASUU and the government must continue negotiations until normalcy returns to the ivory towers and learning activities continue.
He said, "But for very different reasons, the current government and ASUU positions on the future of the negotiations seem to have coincided. To me, that's a position I wish we had reached after an amicable resolution of all the issues contained in the 2009 agreements. It seems that we are moving ahead of the negotiations, but not for the right reasons.
“The ASUU president reportedly said the union would no longer negotiate with the current federal government. This position must be fought. The government and ASUU have no choice but to keep talking, until our universities have reopened their doors to students who clearly are the main victims of the seemingly endless strikes. In the circumstances, therefore, all the Councils and Senates of our universities are summoned to live up to their responsibilities."
The government's offerMr. Adamu also rolled out the four offers made to all university unions which they all rejected.
Each of the labor unions involved has submitted long lists of demands to the government. These include an increase...
The Nigerian government may be considering withdrawing from future negotiations with university workers' unions, as Education Minister Adamu Adamu has instructed the governing boards of each university to "show their commitment to put an end to the labor dispute raging in their universities".< /p>
The minister made the revelation on Tuesday during a meeting with the chancellors and vice-chancellors of universities belonging to the federal government.
The meeting, held at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, was convened by the Minister to assess the seven-month industrial action by the teachers' union.
Mr. Adamu, however, reiterated the government's stance on the "no work, no pay" policy, saying President Muhammadu Buhari's administration will stick to what the law says on labor matters. p> On categorical ASUU
Mr. Adamu, who said he received the news of the indefinite extension of the strike by ASUU with shock, added that the government was doing everything possible to settle all disputes with the aggrieved workers.
He said: "To be frank with all the unions, especially the ASUU, one of the main issues on which the government and the unions could not come to an amicable agreement was the issue of the "No Work, No Pay" law. In the spirit of sincerity, the government has made it clear that it will not break the law. And on this I must openly and once again thank all the unions who have made the sacrifice to understand the government's position on this matter.”
Tasks of the university councilsThe minister, who hinted at the possibility of the government abdicating responsibility for future negotiations with unions, called on university boards to be proactive in how they engage unions and tackle problems head-on.
He said: "Not only is our interaction today necessary, but there is also an urgent need to clarify misrepresentations and bring to your attention the facts that you, as leaders of our universities, should know. under the duties assigned to you. It is indeed one of your legal duties to negotiate with your workers on matters of their welfare and conditions of service.
"As the most important officers of our university system, professional chancellors and vice-chancellors must show greater commitment to ending the ongoing strike.
"As presidents of councils and senates - the highest political and academic bodies in the system - you must consider it your primary duty to promote policies and actions that will discourage labor disputes on our campus. The government will continue to support the physical and academic development of its universities. The government will continue to reasonably improve the working conditions of all academic and non-academic staff. The main challenge, as you well know, is the dwindling resources available to respond to all citizen concerns."
The Minister also referred to what he described as ASUU President Emmanuel Osedeke's position that his union will no longer negotiate with the government.
On this point, Mr. Adamu said, the position of the government and ASUU on future negotiations coincided.
However, he said ASUU and the government must continue negotiations until normalcy returns to the ivory towers and learning activities continue.
He said, "But for very different reasons, the current government and ASUU positions on the future of the negotiations seem to have coincided. To me, that's a position I wish we had reached after an amicable resolution of all the issues contained in the 2009 agreements. It seems that we are moving ahead of the negotiations, but not for the right reasons.
“The ASUU president reportedly said the union would no longer negotiate with the current federal government. This position must be fought. The government and ASUU have no choice but to keep talking, until our universities have reopened their doors to students who clearly are the main victims of the seemingly endless strikes. In the circumstances, therefore, all the Councils and Senates of our universities are summoned to live up to their responsibilities."
The government's offerMr. Adamu also rolled out the four offers made to all university unions which they all rejected.
Each of the labor unions involved has submitted long lists of demands to the government. These include an increase...
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