The non-teaching staff of Nigerian universities on Monday said they would meet to decide on a date to meet with Federal Government over the indefinite strike embarked by the unions.
It will be recalled that the non-teaching staff of universities under the auspices of Joint Action Committee (JAC) had threatened to embark on an indefinite strike from Monday, Sept. 11 over non-implementation of the 2009 agreement.
Mr Samson Ugwoke, the President of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) made this known in a phone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
“We have commenced the strike today; the strike is total, comprehensive and indefinite.
“We only just got a letter from the Ministry of Labour and Employment inviting us for a meeting today.
“But, it is not something I alone can decide but the JAC as it involves other unions, we have to come together and take that decision on when to meet with the Federal Government, ‘’he said.
The unions under the JAC are the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and SSANU.
The demands of the unions include the payment of earned allowances to members, a review of the governance system in universities, improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations.
Provisions of infrastructures in universities and payment of salary shortfall being owed members, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on university staff schools, registration of NUPEMCO.
Others are implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for technologists, improvement of teaching and learning facilities in the universities, stemming the tide of corruption in the university system.
The unions also called on Federal Government to show more commitment and seriousness in the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/University unions agreement, among others.
NAN reports that the Ministry of Labour and Employment had invited the unions for a crucial meeting on Monday but the unions were absent as they claimed they were not aware of any such forum.
The ministry has further postponed the meeting for Thursday, Sept. 14.