•Record varsities owing arrears of minimal wage
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
College employees underneath the auspices of the Senior Employees Affiliation of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Educational Employees Union of Academic and Related Establishments (NASU),
have threatened to start one-week warning strike nationwide from Monday, March 18, 2024, if the federal authorities fails to pay
members the 4 months withheld salaries as authorised by President Bola Tinubu
The union additionally demanded the implementation of the settlement on 25 per cent and 35 per cent pay rise reached in 2023, earlier than the graduation of recent minimal wage negotiations.
They described the withholding of members’ salaries as a breach of the post-strike settlement with authorities on non-victimisation of its members who participated within the six-month strike.
Within the communique signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, the union listed 26 federal and state universities that have been nonetheless owing its members arrears of the nationwide minimal wage adjustment.
SSANU had together with its sister union – NASU- had demanded that federal authorities urgently pay 4 months withheld salaries to members, failing which they might now not assure industrial peace within the establishments.
In communique launched on the finish of its forty seventh Nationwide Government Council assembly (NEC) held on the Federal College of Expertise Akure, Ondo State, SSANU, stated it seen the delay within the implementation of the authorised wage award and cost of withheld salaries because the handiwork, “of saboteurs bent on destabilising and destroying the great intent of Mr. President in direction of sustaining industrial peace within the College system.
“NEC-in-session due to this fact calls on the related authorities of presidency to instantly implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the 4 months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has authorised a one-week warning strike along with our sister union – NASU.
“By Monday, all our public universities can be shutdown, there gained’t electrical energy, there gained’t be water and the hostels and lecture rooms can be shut.” SSANU stated the federal authorities had in 2023, awarded a wage improve of 25 per cent and 35 per cent to its members for which a corresponding wage construction had even been circulated by way of a letter from the Nationwide Salaries, Revenue and Wages Fee in September final yr.
Nevertheless, the union expressed disappointment that over six months after, the wage award has not been carried out within the month-to-month salaries of members though the sum of N100 billion naira was offered for within the funds for that objective.
SSANU stated they might need the federal authorities to implement the 25 per cent and 35 per cent wage improve by factoring it into the month-to-month salaries of members
It lamented that the worth of the wage improve has already been eroded, including that any additional delay would drastically scale back the buying energy and worth of the cash.
“We demand this implementation earlier than renegotiation of the brand new nationwide minimal wage for which authorities has already arrange a Committee, it stated.
“NEC additionally calls for that authorities expedite motion on the renegotiation of the brand new nationwide minimal wage as the present nationwide minimal wage has utterly been made ineffective by the hyperinflation at the moment ravaging the nation,” it added.
SSANU additionally urged the federal authorities to cease foot-dragging on the difficulty of re-negotiation of the 2009 Settlement and start the method.
As well as, the union expressed dismay over alleged delay by authorities to pay members the excellent Earned Allowances, regardless of a number of letters and correspondences and interactions written to it.
“We’re conscious that the sum of N50 billion was appropriated within the 2023 funds for this objective. NEC due to this fact calls on authorities to as a matter of urgency launch the already appropriated funds for cost of Earned Allowances to our members to avert any industrial disharmony within the College system,” it added.
SSANU additional stated 26 universities owned by federal authorities and a few states have been nonetheless in arrears of cost of the final nationwide minimal wage authorised in 2018.
The affected establishments it listed included Federal College Otuoke, Bayelsa State; Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State; Federal College, Dutsima, Katsina State; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa College, Bauchi State; Federal College, Gashua, Yobe State; Federal College Kashere, Gombe State; College of Maiduguri, Borno State; Modibo Adama College, Yola, Adamawa State; College of Benin, Benin, Edo State and Faculty of Drugs, College of Lagos, Idi-Araba Lagos State.
Others are the College of Calabar Cross River State; College of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State; Federal College of Lafia, Nasarawa State; Federal College, Lokoja Kogi State; College of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State; Nigeria French Language Village, Lagos State; Alex Ekwueme Federal College, Ndufu Alike, Ebonyi State; College of Illorin, Illorin, Kwara State; Ahmadu Bello College, Zaria, Kaduna State; Federal College, Gusau, Zamfara State; Federal College, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State; Nationwide Institute for Nigerian Languages, Aba, Abia State; College of Lagos, Lagos State; Nasarawa State College, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Adamawa State College, Mubi, Adamawa State, and Taraba State College, Jalingo Taraba State.