ASUU Strike: Issues Still Unresolved, We Acted On Court Order- Osodeke

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The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Emmanuel Osodeke says it called off its eight-month strike due to a court order and appeals from Nigerians.

A court of appeal had ordered the striking lecturers to return to class after the National Industrial Court ruled against the union in a case brought to it by the Federal Goverment, days after the appeal court judgement, ASUU called off the strike and ordered members to resume lectures.

But Osodeke, said the decision was not because issues brought by the lecturers were fully addressed.

Osodeke who said this when he appeared on Channels television on Sunday night said the issues have not been fully resolved and no agreements signed.

He added that they are resuming because they are a law-abiding organisation and we don’t want to break the law.

He expressed hope that the intervention of the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as promised will resolve the problem within a very short time.

Osodeke, who blamed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, for taking the matter to court, argued that the best way to tackle trade disputes involving academics is “negotiation”.

“But the Minister of Labour, believes that the best way is to force them to class. But because of the interest of the Nigerian people, the students, their parents, and the Speaker who is intervening our members will teach”.

He, however, said the lecturers may be unmotivated going back to class if the “no-work, no-pay” policy of the Federal Government stands, maintaining that “you cannot expect a hungry man” to be at his best.

To avoid this, Osodeke said the government “should pay the salaries” to the varsity teachers whom he added have to “meet up” with the backlog of classes missed during the strike.

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