The Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has joined the union’s ongoing two-week nationwide warning strike.
Chairman of ASUU-ESUT, confirmed the development in an interview with DAILY GAZETTE on Monday.
He said the action, which affects all federal and state-owned universities across the country, was prompted by the Federal Government’s failure to address the union’s long-standing demands, despite multiple engagements and a 14-day ultimatum issued on September 28.
“The notice expired without any meaningful response from the government,” he said.
Following a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), ASUU resolved to commence the warning strike, citing what it described as the government’s continued neglect of public universities and non-implementation of previous agreements.
“We had hoped that this administration would live up to its promise that no academic disruption would occur during its tenure. Unfortunately, that has not been the case,” the ASUU-ESUT chairman added.
ASUU’s current demands include; renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, Payment of three and a half months’ withheld salaries, Sustainable and adequate funding of public universities, Payment of outstanding salary arrears (25%–35%), Release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative dues and Payment of long-overdue promotion arrears, some dating back up to seven years.
The union warned that failure to address these issues within the warning strike period could lead to a full-blown industrial action.
