Anxiety as ASUU plans indefinite strike

Barring a last-minute change, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will declare an indefinite strike over Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands.

The Nation gathered yesterday that most of the over 123 branches of the union have completed their congresses. Others are expected to round off theirs today

An ASUU leader, who declined to be named,  said a proposal for the indefinite strike would be ratified and adopted at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU scheduled for Sunday.

He said: “None of the branches, including the University of Abuja, voted for anything other than an indefinite strike.

“All the branches of ASUU are expected to finish their congresses tomorrow (today) and pass their report to NEC.

“NEC will have to meet and review the decisions of all of the branches and decide on what to do.”

The union had on  February 14  declared a one-month warning strike that soon escalated into a full blown work boycott.

Some of the union’s demands are provision of funds for the revitalisation of public universities; payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA)/Earned Allowances (EA); payment of salary shortfalls; an end to the proliferation of state universities,  renegotiation of a 2009 agreement; adoption of  University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform for university teachers and payment of non-remitted check-off dues.

Minister of Education Adamu Adamu had said last week that the insistence of ASUU on the payment of the withheld salaries was stalling negotiations by the parties.

He added that the government had met all the demands of ASUU, except the arrears payment which  President Muhammadu Buhari rejected when a proposal to the effect was presented to him. Nation