The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its two week warning strike and opted to give the federal government more time for negotiations and resolution.
ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, announced the suspension on Wednesday at the union’s national secretariat at the University of Abuja.
He explained that the decision came after constructive engagements with government representatives on the lingering issues that led to the strike.
The union had on October 12 declared a two-week warning strike to press home its demands. Piwuna noted that the action could have been avoided if the government had been responsive earlier to the union’s concerns.
He said: “NEC hopes that the government will take advantage of the suspension to resolve the issues, especially the 2009 agreement. Should the government fail to resolve these issues, ASUU will not hesitate to resume the strike.
“The union would not have embarked on the strike if the Federal Government had responded to its demands.”
Piwuna also listed ASUU’s seven demands, including the re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of universities, an end to the alleged victimisation of ASUU members in LASU, KSU (now Prince Abubakar Audu University) and FUTO, payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, settlement of promotion arrears spanning over four years, and remittance of outstanding third-party deductions.
The government is expected to deliver more fruitful talks and results within one month proscribed by the union.
