ASUU NOT READY TO CALL OF STRIKE

The current ASUU strike has been and issue carried down to 2012 from 2009 and with the burning fire in the association eye its like someone about to explode "jokeing". the fact is that there brave heroes want to stay in office chairs for extra five years, autonomy,

To arrest the rot and reverse the decay in the University System in order to reposition it for greater responsibilities in National Development; To reverse the brain-drain, not only by enhancing the remuneration of academic staff, but also by disengaging them from the encumbrances of a unified civil service wage structure; To restore Nigerian Universities through immediate, massive and sustained financial intervention; and To ensure genuine University autonomy and academic freedom. After three years of negotiation the two teams (Government and ASUU), through the process of collective bargaining, agreed (reached a common stand) on all the issues on the agenda, viz.: Funding Review of laws that impinge on university autonomy A separate salary structure for academic staff in the universities. Earned allowances to entitled academic staff. Pension for university academics and compulsory retirement age

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it is not going to suspend its ongoing strike as speculated by government, unless its demands are met. The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, after a meeting with the various university vice-chancellors in Abuja told reporters that ASUU would call off its three-month strike on Monday, following the cooperation and assurances she got from the university dons . But ASUU President, Prof Ukachuchwu Awuzie yesterday, in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY noted that, ASUU was not a member of the Association of Vice Chancellors, and as such, could not call off the action until government implemented its agreements with ASUU. He stressed that the lecturers’ body, would not abide by the Association’s call to end the strike. “It’s all government’s propaganda! ASUU won’t call off its strike so long as government shies away from the issue of effective funding of the universities”, Awuzie said. The union leader who however expressed the union’s appreciation to the Senate for its efforts, especially in passing the bill for the extension of the retirement age of lectures from 65 to 70, but which is awaiting the president’s assent to become a law, said, “The year of retirement is just one of our demands, the funding is the cardinal,” he stressed. On a positive note, Awuzie said, “Mr. President has scheduled a meeting with ASUU on Monday, If government accepts to implement our demand, that is when we will think of calling off the strike. “Even at that, the National Executive Committee of ASUU will have to meet and have series of meetings to agree on when to call off the strike. “However, with the intervention of Mr. President, I believe the solution will come faster than expected” Awuzie stated .