The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has called the attention of President Bola Tinubu to the non-payment of three and a half months salaries of its members, following the strike embarked upon by a sister academic staff union in the universities.
National President of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, in a statement, said the union has consistently maintained that it never declared and was not part of any industrial action.
He said what the government had done was to lump together those who embarked on strike with those who did not, describing the action as ‘unjust’ and tantamount to punishing the innocent along with the guilty.
He said: “The Federal Government’s action actually goes against the judgment delivered on July 25, 2023, at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), which affirmed CONUA as an independent union.
Sunmonu noted that withholding three and a half months salaries of members, who neither declared nor participated in any strike, contravenes Section 43 (1) (b) of the Trade Disputes Act.
“This section states that “where any employer locks out his workers, the workers shall be entitled to wages and any other applicable remunerations for the period of the lock-out and the period of the lock-out shall not prejudicially affect any rights of the workers being rights dependent on the continuity of period of employment.” This provision is consistent with global best practices,” Sunmonu said.
He further stated that failure to process and pay the outstanding salaries could throw the universities into serious crises, and the peace, currently being enjoyed, jeopardised.
He also drew government’s attention to the remuneration of academics, which has remained stagnant since 2009 in spite of steady rise in costs of living.
Similarly, Sunmonu said the union again, reviewed the state of the nation and noted the excruciating pains Nigerians have been going through, following the removal of fuel subsidy since May 29, 2023, and the subsequent policy of floating the Naira.
He said although President Tinubu had assured that series of measures are being put in place to alleviate the suffering of the people, such should be expedited, particularly the announcement of commensurate minimum wage that will cushion the effect of the hardship being experienced by the people.
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