By The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has debunked claims that it had agreed to suspend its eight-month-old strike.
Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU National President, made this known in a statement on Wednesday, saying the union is still considering the Federal Government’s offer.
Recall the leadership of the striking lecturers met, on November 27, met with the Federal Government’s representatives led by theMinister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige. The minister had expressed optimism that the union will call off the strike action, considering the latest government offer to its members.
Ogunyemi said: “To put the records straight, the Principal Officers and Trustees, who constitute the core of representatives of ASUU at negotiation meetings with the government, are not constitutionally empowered to suspend any strike action.
“Whatever comes out of an engagement with agents of the government is an offer, which must be taken back to the branches through the various organs of the union.
“Views and perspectives on offers by governments are aggregated and presented to government agents as counter-offers.
“This trade union strategy of offer and counter-offer is continually deployed until the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU – consisting of all recognised chairpersons – finally approves what it considers an acceptable offer from the government.
“It is only then that any strike action by ASUU can be suspended.”
He explained that “The latest offer by the government makes proposals on nearly all items of demand by the union with timelines,” saying “the ASUU leadership did not reach any understanding with the government to suspend the strike on 9th December 2020.”
“There is nothing in the government offer of 27th November 2020 to suggest that conclusion as allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment.
“The leadership of ASUU has consistently stated at every meeting with high ranking government officials that the union’s representatives have no mandate to take a final decision on any strike action by the union,” Ogunyemi added.
