Labour Unions Express Discontent Over New Committee
The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) have strongly criticised the Federal Government’s newly inaugurated renegotiation committee. The committee, established to revisit the 2009 agreements with university-based unions, has drawn backlash from SSANU and NASU, who claim it unfairly prioritises the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The inauguration took place in Abuja on Tuesday.
SSANU and NASU Allege Bias Toward ASUU
In a joint statement, SSANU President Muhammed Ibrahim and NASU President Peters Adeyemi condemned the inauguration event as a “charade.” They accused the government of focusing on ASUU while sidelining the interests of non-teaching staff. The unions argued that the inauguration highlighted the Federal Government’s preference for ASUU, with little regard for other university unions.
Concerns Over Skewed Representation
According to SSANU and NASU, the ceremony overwhelmingly favoured ASUU. They pointed out that the President of ASUU was given a prominent seat at the event, while leaders from SSANU and NASU were relegated to less significant roles. The unions also noted that the Minister of Education’s speech focused predominantly on ASUU, further deepening their concerns about the balance of negotiations.
A History of Failed Renegotiations
This marks the fourth renegotiation committee set up by the Federal Government since 2017, following previous committees led by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jubril, and Nimi Briggs. Despite these efforts, lasting solutions to issues between the government and university unions have not been achieved. The latest committee has been given a three-month deadline to resolve ongoing disputes, though SSANU and NASU are sceptical of the process.
Unions Fear for Non-Teaching Staff
SSANU and NASU are concerned that the renegotiation process may result in agreements that disproportionately favour academic staff at the expense of non-teaching personnel. The unions voiced their frustrations, stating that their input was disregarded during the event. They also expressed fears that future negotiations would follow a similar pattern of favouritism toward ASUU.
Calls for Fair Negotiations
In conclusion, SSANU and NASU rejected the committee’s inauguration, calling it a biased process. They demanded that the Federal Government engage with all university unions equitably and ensure that the renegotiation process reflects the interests of non-teaching staff. The unions warned that failure to address these concerns could lead to renewed tensions within the university sector.
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