Striking union members at the University of Lagos sang solidarity songs around the campus on Tuesday, vowing to sustain their action to get the desired results.
They gave the position as the seven-day national warning strike declared by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) entered its second day.
The strike is in protest of the Federal Government’s non-compliance with demands for the payment of four months’ withheld salaries of their members after the 2022 nationwide strike.
The decision was part of the resolutions of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the two unions after a meeting held in Akure last week.
SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim said that the decision to embark on the warning strike was taken as a last resort.
He said it came after several protest letters and other communications with the federal government did not yield any positive outcome.
At UNILAG on Tuesday, NASU-UNILAG were seen singing and going around the school to monitor members’ compliance with the warning strike.
Mr. Olugbenga Adenaiya, Acting Chairman of SSANU, UNILAG chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the association would continue to stand for equity and fairness.
According to him, all the union is after is equal treatment and fairness to all parties.
The unionist noted that the demands of the union were straightforward and direct.
He explained that there was no going back in ensuring that members of the union are given their due recognition, in line with what is given to other labour unions of university members.
“Firstly, I must say I am happy with the level of compliance by members concerning this warning strike.
“We have been everywhere on campus monitoring proceedings, and I must say it is 100 percent, and I am happy with the development.
“We do not have any issues with anyone. All we demand is fairness and equity.
“The government should look into our demands and accede to them, as has been agreed. “It should pay us our withheld salaries for four months so that we can go back to work.
“If it should listen to us and do the needful, we will do our own side of the bargain immediately.
“The national leadership of the union is planning to meet with the federal government tomorrow.
“Once this is done and we see positive signs, we do not have any issues, and we will go back to work,” he said.
Mr. Kehinde Ajibade, immediate past Chairman of NASU of the institution, described the level of compliance as highly commendable.
Ajibade said that the only thing the government seemed to understand was strike, so the chapter had to comply in order to get their demands
He noted that the union would stop at nothing to ensure sustained and total compliance with the warning strike.
“We are on the ground and fully ready to ensure that the order is well executed and effective here on campus.
“Members of the union deserve their salaries; withholding such entitlements is tantamount to disregard for their persons and a large-scale injustice.
“Our position in this strike remains firm. The federal government should pay us our withheld salaries.
“Prior to this time, we had the issue of the 2009 agreement that we entered into with the Federal Government, which is long overdue and still lingers.
“We also have the issue of wage awards as well as unpaid earnings allowances. Now we are faced with four months of withheld salaries, which our sister union (ASUU) has been paying since four weeks ago, and we are yet to get a dime.
“This injustice against members is unacceptable. We are told the government will be meeting with our national leaders tomorrow.
“We remain optimistic that something positive will come out of it,” the unionist stated.
Mr. Olusola Sowunmi, immediate-past Chairman, SSANU-UNILAG, said that the warning strike was purely for non-teaching staff, SSANU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists.
“We have been working hard, seriously, without proper welfare.
“We want our universities to be well-funded, especially UNILAG, which is well respected all over the world, yet we non-academic staff members are not well taken care of,” he said.
He said that the striking workers were not breaking down the entire system only because the students were currently writing their examinations.
NAN reports that academic activities were ongoing at the university, with students writing examinations.
A 200-level UNILAG student, Miss Oyindamola Adesina, said that the strike did not affect her ongoing examination because she was on her way to write a paper.
Adesina said that she started her examination on March 4 and would finish on Thursday.
“I pray they call off their strike because I am not ready to sit at home due to any strike, so my academics will not be affected,” he said.
NAN correspondents also visited Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).
All the universities’ gates were open for people to enter, and academic activities were ongoing.
Currently, LASUED students are writing their first semester examinations, while LASU and LASUSTECH students were seen trooping in from the gates to attend lectures.
Mr. Obafemi Sanni, Chairman, NASU-LASU, said that though their salaries were not withheld by the Lagos State government, they had to support the warning strike as directed by their national body.
Sanni said that they were not disturbing the academic activities of the university, but none of their members would be queried if they did not show up at their duty post.
A 300-level student at LASU, David Ayodele, appealed to the federal government to address the union’s demands.
Ayodele said that he was not aware that some unions were on strike until he was being asked.
“Please, federal government, answer them.
“We are enjoying non-interrupted academic activities at LASU, and I pray they will continue this way,” he said. (NAN)
