There are strong indications that the Federal government may have decided to implemented the ‘no work, no pay’ policy as it affects the striking university-based unions.
But the unions accused the Federal government of failing to either acknowledge its numerous notices and letters to the government over the ongoing strike in the public universities, or deem it fit to invite their leaders to a round table discussion.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had embarked on a four week warning strike on February 14, which was extended at its expiration, following the alleged failure by the government to address the contentious issues that led to the strike.
In March, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institution (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) declared a two-week warning strike, which was similarly extended, while the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) declared its own two weeks warning strike in the same month.
But sources hinted that the Federal government may have discreetly invoked the ‘no work, no pay’ policy against the striking unions.
As confirming, the President of NAAT, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, said members of his union were not paid their full salary in March.
He also accused the government of ignoring all the notices for the ongoing strike and had refused to acknowledge all the letters written in that regard.
The NAAT President regretted that instead of inviting the striking university workers for a dialogue over the contentious issues, the government has gone ahead to implement the ‘no work, no salary’ policy.
He, however, said that seizing the salary of the union members would not make them call off the strike, arguing that the action is in the interest of the system.