Strike: Not Again, Students Warn NASU Not To Embark On Strike

Students body has warned National leadership of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) to desist from any plan of embarking on a seven-day strike.

The students expressed worried why NASU leadership choose to boycott work at this critical period when students just resumed school after the 8 months ASUU strike. 

This was disclosed in a press statement jointly Signed by the NANS Ogun JCC Chairman, Comr. Kehinde Damilola Simeon, Deputy Senate President, NANS National, Comr. Ekundina Segun Elvis,NANS Southwest Zone D.Coordinator, Comr. Olatunji Adegboye, NAOSS Global President, Comr. Ogunrombi Gbemileke, and Comr. Okereafor Opeyemi Bestman, National President, PSM NIG.

This warning came shortly after NASU leadership directed it's members at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) to embark on a seven-day strike.

According to the letter addressed to FUNAAB Vice Chancellor, dated October 7 and signed by the Senior Assistant General Secretary, Damola Adelekun, said the strike would start on Monday, October 24, 2022."

Reacting to the notification of strike action, the students body implored the union to seek for alternative medium in pursuing their rights and allow common sense to prevail as the students should not be subjected to further distress. 

According to their statement "Our attention have been drawn to a publication ordering the Non-academic staff of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta to to emabrk on a 7day protest.

This untimely directive is coming shortly after the 8 months long ASUU strike was suspended."

"Just as University students all over the country are rejoicing to return to campus after months of academic calendar stagnation, we find it appalling that NASU is calling for another strike action."

"Industrial action as a result of this uncompassionate directive will only subject the students to further psychological trauma, time wastage and perplexity."

"If carried out, this course of action will be inimical to the best service delivery practice they swore to provide, detrimental to our collective future and contradicts everything that NASU stands for."

"We believe that most of NASU members are also parents, we therefore implore the union to seek for alternative medium in pursuing their rights and allow common sense to prevail as the students should not be subjected to further distress."

"While we recognise their right to seek for redress, we still maintain that choosing to boycott work at this critical period is not only insensitive but also callous.

"The union should allow work to continue while channeling their grievances through other means so that normalcy and stability can be restored in the university."

"If heeded, this singular action will be seen as solidarizing with the students and make us sympathetic to NASU’s cause. However, embarking on actions contrary to the above will consequently pitch the students against the school's Non-academic staff.This will put us under constraint to engage in direct face off with the culprits."

"We must affirm again, that this struggle to emancipate our future from being used as collateral damage isn't about FUNAABITES alone but has become that of all Ogun State students and by extension that of the South West."

"We hereby seriously warn the few bad eggs in NASU to desist from any attempt truncate campus activities as we expect the FUNAAB management to announce resumption plans imminently."

"We are willing, able and ready to mobilise massively to stampede this politically motivated action.

At no point in time shall we sit and watch our collective future being used to settle scores.This despiteful venture shall be vehemently resisted now and in the future", the statement concluded.

In the one-page letter by the NASU to the VC titled: “Notification of a 7-day strike action”, was copied to the NASU branch chairman of FUNAAB and the Senior Assistant General Secretary, NASU, Ogun State Council.

It reads: “The union headquarters has been inundated with an avalanche of complaints against your exalted office over the statutory procedure of the welfare as the well-being of NASU members at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.”

The union listed five anti-NASU policies and illegality against the VC, which are undue interference in NASU affairs, and instigation of staff/members against the union and its leadership.

Other allegations levelled against the VC are victimization, stepping down the promotion of Mr IO Odunjo, arbitrary arrest and detention of NASU members without any justification and suspension of four members as a result of their participation in the 2019 national JAC of NASU and SSANU industrial action.