;
The
universities lecturers who had vowed never to return to work until demands are
met, described the policy of no work, no pay as a threat that could hold no
water. Lecturers who spoke to Vanguard posited that the policy was not new to
ASUU, adding that it would further emboldened the Union because it had passed
through that route before. Reacting to the development, the Director, Distance
Learning Centre, University of Ibadan,
Professor Oyesoji Aremu said: “ASUU as a Union has passed this route
before, so it is not anything strange to its struggle. ”
As a matter of fact,
it has always emboldened the Union. “I think the Federal Government should have
gone pass this threat of ‘No Work no Pay’ to workers while on strike. The
question is, is strike not a legitimate instrument on the part of the workers?
“And on the ASUU’s struggle, while is the government not addressing the issues?
While is the government not sincere enough to address the agreement freely
entered to and signed with the Union? “It is about time the Federal Government
through its Team understands some principles in collective bargaining with a
view to addressing the challenges confronting the university system in Nigeria.
The rottenness in the education sector must be halted.”
On
his part, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and the Pioneer Director of
the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies UI, Prof Isaac Olawale Albert
said: “It is not good for a person who doesn’t work to be paid. “However, ASUU
has no other way of getting this regime, like the past ones, to respect
agreements.
Our
primary and secondary schools collapsed because there was no strong movement
such as ASUU to save it. ASUU is altruistic. It is doing whatever it is doing
now to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s education.”
Speaking
in the same vein, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, University Distinguished
Professor, UNILAG said: “No work, no pay” is inapplicable to academic staff.
“We
still do the backlog of work (teaching & marking, etc.) even after the
strike is over. To enforce the rule and expect the gap to be covered will be
most unjust. Besides, it will do irreparable damage to industrial relations in
the higher education sector.” For the Vice Chancellor of Caleb University,
Professor Ayandiji Daniel Aina, suggest that both ASUU and government should
exercise caution. He said: ”
While
ASUU should reconsider the industrial action in the interest of the students and
quality education, the government should discuss with them further. Maintaining
extreme positions by both parties is counter productive.”
Meanwhile,
ASUU-Lagos zonal chairman, Professor Olusiji Sowande, while reacting to the ”No
work no pay” said: ”The no work no pay policy is not for ASUU because ASUU does
more than teaching job. ”We engage in research and other academic activities.”
According to him, the Federal Government should have known that this government
is not the first to introduce the policy of No work no pay and none had ever
worked, adding, ”It may work for
lecturers who are suffering, but not us.
“I
see it as a threat to our agitation for better funding for our education
sector. The new policy will further prolong the ongoing strike. Asked when is
their next meeting with the government, he said: “Anytime they are ready, we
are ready.”
You
will recall that ASUU commenced the strike November 5 over Federal Government
failure to honour its 2009 agreements. Since the commencement of the ongoing
strike, FG and ASUU had met three-time without a resolution. Presently, there
is no specific date for another meeting.
Source: Vanguardngr
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