THE joint action committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have announced plans to commence an indefinite strike on Monday, October 28.

The committee announced this in a statement on Sunday, October 27,  jointly signed by the national president of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and general secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi.

They noted that the ultimatum given to the federal government over their members’ withheld salaries would expire on Sunday midnight.

The unions are demanding, among others, the payment of the four-month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

The ICIR reports that the federal government had through the ministry of Labour and Employment invoked the ‘no work, no pay’ policy when the four university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022.

In the statement, the unions said, “The last circular of the Joint Action Committee of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities titled, ‘Latest development in respect of the withheld four months’ salaries’ referenced JAC/NS/VOL.III/32 dated 21st October 2024 refers.

“The circular under reference gave seven days to the federal government to do the needful in respect of our demands for payment of outstanding four months’ salaries and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sighed with the federal government on 20th August 2022 which expires midnight of Sunday, 27th October 2024.”

The unions had earlier given a 10-day ultimatum to the government to pay the withheld salaries to avoid shutting down activities in the universities.

It said, “It is quite appalling that we have issued several ultimatums thereafter with no positive result from the government, it is therefore obvious that the government is not positively disposed to our rightful and legitimate demands in spite of several interactions, dialogues, exchange of correspondences and assurances of payment all to no avail.

“We have exercised considerable and prolonged patience, allowing multiple deadlines to pass without receiving a satisfactory response to our demands by the government.”

With no positive response yet from the government, the joint committee said it has directed all its members in the universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to hold a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 28 October, and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action as no concession should be given in any guise.

“All the state owned universities can also incorporate their local demands into this strike action as appropriate.

“Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive is mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branches in both federal and state owned universities as well as inter-university centres,” the joint committee added.

The ICIR had reported that the unions went on a seven-day warning strike over the withheld salaries issue in March this year.

SSANU and NASU had embarked on strike for five months between April and July 2022, to compel the government to meet their demands.