Industrial Arbitration Panels Orders ASUU To Suspend Strike

By Deji Wale Fadeyi,Abuja
Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) sitting over the ongoing industrial dispute between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed that ASUU should call of its three week old strike.

Rising from its sitting on Thursday in Abuja, the panel held that pursuant to section 18 (1) (c) of Trade Dispute Act, CAP T8 2004; “the Second Party, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should call off forthwith the on-going nationwide strike embarked upon by its members.

Minister ofLabour and Productivity, Prince Adetokun Kayode had dragged ASUU before the Arbitration Panel .

In a press release signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Education, Okorafor, A. I which was the made available to Burningpot, the panel further directed that all the universities that have been on strike should -open immediately for normal activities.

The panel held that the federal government which is the “First Party shall not lock out any, some or all member of the 2nd Party pending the final determination of the dispute before the Arbitration Tribunal.

“The 1st Party shall not victimize, transfer or terminate any or all the member of the 2nd Party for offences connected with this dispute pending the final determination of the case before the Arbitration Tribunal” it added

It would be recalled that ASUU has been on strike over the failure of federal government to sign an agreement it entered into in 2001.

While ASUU demanding for 109 per cent salary increase the federal government has offered 40 per cent which the union has rejected.