Wednesday, February 06, 2019

Assu Conducted Referendum Over Strike

Assu

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Tuesday conducted a referendum to decide whether to suspend its three-month strike or not.

The national leaders of the union on Monday directed its zonal coordinators to meet and conduct the referendum.

Over 200 members of the University of Ibadan chapter, who attended the congress allegedly voted for the continuation of the strike while a little above 50 voted for the suspension of the strike.

The Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Deji Omole, told our correspondent on the telephone that the congress only conducted a referendum on what the Federal government had offered the union to call off the strike.

Omole stated that the FG promised to include the earned academic allowances in their 2019 salaries.

He also said the FG had decided to release N25bn for university revitalisation while the rest will be released after identifying sources to fund it.

Omole, who said the FG agreed to release additional N5bn to make the earned academic allowances N25bn out of the N105bn being owed lecturers, added that ASUU wanted N30bn.

According to him, the FG has agreed to renegotiate with the union.
Sources at the zonal congress claimed the majority of the members voted for the continuation of the strike because they doubted government’s sincerity in fulfilling its new promises.