ASUU-LASU Declares Indefinite Strike Over Unmet Demands

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, has declared an indefinite strike in protest against the state government’s failure to implement the federal government-approved salary increment of 25 and 35 per cent for its members since January 2023.

The strike action, in a statement by the ASUU-LASU Chairperson, Prof Ibrahim Bakare, and Secretary, Sylvester Idowu, followed the refusal of the BAbajide Sandi Olu administration to implement the increase.

The union noted that the increment has been implemented in all the federal universities and 18 state universities.

The union said the declaration of the strike was in conformity with the decision of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the staff unions in the university, adding that a letter has been sent to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello and governor Sanwo-Olu.

JAC comprises ASUU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The union is also calling on the Lagos State Government to harmonise its members’ salary scale with that of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology ( LASUSTECH) and the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED),which it said, earn better than their counterparts in LASU.

ASUU-LASU noted that the government has failed to implement the recommendation of a committee set up by the government on the harmonisation of salaries.

We are aware that the state government and the university management are making frantic efforts to resolve the unfortunate development but until then, the strike will go on.

The aggrieved unions also dismissed claims by the institution’s student leaders that only ASUU is embarking on strike, insisting that the action is total and involved other unions..

The statement read in part: “We wish to remind them that students have no stake in the matter or possess any right to meddle into welfare issues involving staff members of the university and the government, and as such they should not allow themselves to be used in a matter that does not directly concern them.”