The National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is locked in a crucial meeting to decide on the next line of action to take following the alleged payment of “half-salaries” to the lecturers.

It was gathered that the NEC meeting commenced Monday afternoon.

The lecturers are angry that they were paid half salaries for the month of October, which ASUU described as “amputated and insensitive.”

A source who is a top member of ASUU NEC who craved anonymity said “we are still in the meeting and the outcome will be made known by the President”.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, defended the action of the government to pay the lecturers that the government paid the lecturers pro-rata.

A court of appeal had ordered ASUU to return to class after the National Industrial Court ruled against the union.

“We are resuming because we are a law-abiding organisation and we don’t want to break the law,” ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said while announcing the suspension of the eight-month strike action.

The lecturers have expressed disappointment over the attitude of the government towards finding an amicable and lasting solution to the impasse, saying the refusal to pay them the 8 months’ withheld salaries has been exacerbated by the half salaries.

Some of the lecturers, it was gathered are fully ready to return trenches, nothing that the decision to suspend the strike in the first place was to obey the Court order in addition to the intervention by the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila.

“Over 60% of lecturers have promised not to teach at all or administer tests if ASUU refuses to strike.

“I got a loan from my bank three months ago because I wasn’t paid. We’ve resumed, expecting our 8 months’ pay so that we use it to settle our debt but we were given half payment of October salary instead, my bank has taken everything and I don’t even have what to eat and go to teach, my family is suffering. I can’t provide for them and I’m losing hope in this job,” a University of Abuja lecturer said.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, who happens to be the lead counsel to ASUU, in a statement released on Sunday, explained why the no-work-no-pay policy could not be applicable to ASUU.

Falana said, “In justifying the payment of half salaries to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities for the month of October 2022, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has invoked the “no-work-no- pay” clause in section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act (Cap T8), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, the lecturers ‘were paid in pro rata to the number of days they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action. Pro-rata was done because you cannot pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied.

“The position of the Federal Government is factually faulty and legally misleading. Since the industrial action was called off, the public universities have adjusted their calendars to ensure that the 2021/2022 academic session is not cancelled.

“Consequently, students are currently taking lectures or writing examinations that were disrupted during the strike of the ASUU.

“Therefore, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the ASUU strike, the doctrine of “no work, no pay” is totally inapplicable as students who were not taught during the strike are currently attending lectures and writing examinations”. (Nigerian Tribune)

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