by Zara Mustapha

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo Chapter, on Tuesday vowed to continue its month-long strike, until its demands are met.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos, the union’s Chairman, Saheed Oseni, said that  the decision to continue with the strike was taken at the union’s congress on June 23.

The union began an indefinite strike on May 26, to drive its demands to the state government.

PM News reports:

They are demanding for the repeal of the “no vacancy, no promotion” policy of its management, a reduction in the tuition fee hike and the implementation of the 65 years retirement age policy.

Oseni said that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union, at its meeting on 19 June, pledged to support the union in its struggle for the implementation of its demands.

“SSANU National had sent representatives of the union to the management in February to dialogue on why the management should do the needful, but to no avail,” he said.

Oseni regretted that the management and the Governing Council of the institution did not invite the union for discussion since the strike started.

He said that the union had given room for negotiation before and during the strike.

Oseni, however, described the management as being insensitive to meet the demands of the union.

He said that the union would ground activities at the university from next week.

Osen noted that the strike would commence with the union withdrawing the essential services provided by its members.

“We have been magnanimous enough to give room for discussion since the strike started.

“But we would become hard from next week, since the management do not appreciate our worth.

“We should not be blamed if we totally ground the system,” he said.

Commenting on the ‘no work, no pay threat,’ Oseni said the union would not be worried if their salaries were paid or not.

“What is the essence of receiving a salary that is not enough to meet our needs. Our members are growing their family sizes but not in their career levels,” he said.

Kayode Sutton, Public Relations Officer of the university, told NAN that efforts were ongoing to negotiate with the union and meet their demands.

Sutton noted that the management had taken steps to address all the pending issues.

“The fee hike has just been reduced and this is part of the demands of the unions. We are also working to address the remaining demands, so as to return the situation to normalcy,” he said.

NAN reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter of the institution has also been on strike since 20 May, over similar issues as SSANU, LASU Chapter.