( AFRICAN Monitor) – University preceptors history rejected the deficient hires paid to them by the Federal Government, saying it violated labour laws.

ASUU President,Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated this in a statement after a National Executive Council( NEC) meeting.
He argued that his members weren’t casual workers but intellectualists who can not be paid on apro-rata base.

The meeting began on Monday and ended early history Osodeke said NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a “pro-rata ” base, like casual workers, was unknown.

The union leader was silent on whether they would embark on another strike. He called for understanding as ASUU continues to pursue a positive resolution of the “ avoidable ” extremity fairly.

The statement reads “ ASUU suspended its eight- month strike on 14th October 2022, in obedience to the order of the National Industrial Court and in farther consideration of intervention sweats of well- meaning Nigerians, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
“ The action of the union was a display of manifest trust in the bar and other institutions and organs of government to always put public interest over all other considerations.

“ This, we believe, as a union of thinkers, intellectualists, and loyalists, won’t only prop the process of amicable resolution of the extremity but will also set the tone for smooth artificial relations between Government and Nigerian workers at large.” Unfortunately, the response of the government towards ASUU’s demonstration of trust was the so- called ‘pro-rata ’ payment for 18 days as the October 2022 hires of academics thereby portraying them as diurnal paid workers!

“ This isn’t only an aberration but a violation of all known rules of engagement in any contracts of employment for academics the world over.”
At an exigency meeting of the ASUU’s National Executive Committee( NEC), held on Monday, 7 November 2022, the Union meditated on developments since the suspense of the strike.

‘NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a ‘pro-rata ’ base, like casual workers, is unknown in the history of university- acquainted labour relations and, thus, condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its wholeness. ”
ASUU hailed members for their “ perseverance in the face of innumerous difficulty and unwarranted provocation by some notorious agents of the ruling class ”.

The statement added ” NEC further appeals for the understanding of Nigerian scholars, parents and other authentically concerned individualities and groups while the union continues to pursue positive resolution of this avoidable extremity within the dimension of legitimacy without compromising the interests and weal of Nigerian intellectualists. ”

Head of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Olajide Oshundun, had explained thatpro-rata payment wasn’t the same as partial payment.

“ They were paidpro-rata according to the number of days they worked in October, ” he said. “ You can not pay them for work not done. Everybody’s hands are tied. ”

Also history,Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof Tanko Ishaya, contended with speakers who are yet to return to the classrooms to do so.
Some of the speakers decided to educate from home after citing fiscal constraints.

The institution’s ASUU chapter said on Friday that its members would not return unless they’re paid in full.
The VC prompted the Federal Government to review its “ no work no pay policy ” as the work of the academic staff was beyond tutoring and included exploration and community service.

He appealed to the chapter to be considerate.
Ishaya said “ I appeal that ASUU allows academic conditioning to go on while farther accommodations with the government on payment of withheld hires continue.

“ We’ve asked these scholars to renew; it’ll be traumatic to ask them to return home again having spent eight months at home formerly ”