The Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) has expressed concerns over the inconclusive renegotiations between the federal government and unions in tertiary institutions.
While addressing the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Wednesday, National President of NASU, Makolo Hassan, encouraged the federal government to prevail on the renegotiation committees to come to an agreement with unions in various sectors.
“The committees constituted by the federal government for the universities and inter-university centres, the polytechnics and the colleges of education have refused to conclude their assignment several years after they were constituted. This is unhealthy for the sustenance of industrial peace and uninterrupted academic calendar in our tertiary institutions,” he said.
This is coming just as the union threatened to embark on industrial action in two weeks if the government fails to pay the 12 months salary arrears owed to members working in federal government-owned research institutes in the country.
The union leader also lamented the lapses recorded in the payment of salaries through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
“In the face of the challenges and the lukewarm attitude of the federal government and the IPPIS office towards addressing the shortcomings, NASU may have no choice than to embark, as soon as possible, on a full-blown strike in the universities and inter-university centres, polytechnics and colleges of education, except something is done very urgently to positively remedy the situation,” he said.