NASU Urges FG to Honour Varsity Union Agreements

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has urged the federal government to keep its promises to unions in universities and stop threatening to implement a no-work, no-pay policy.

The union described the government’s threats to impose the “No Work, No Pay” policy against striking workers as unfair, arguing that it goes against labor laws.

In a statement titled, “Recurring Threats by Government Officials to Enforce the ‘No Work, No Pay’ Policy: A Call for Justice, Collective Bargaining, and Dignity of Labour,” NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi accused officials of using Section 42(1)(a) of the Trade Disputes Act to intimidate rather than promote industrial peace.

Adeyemi stressed that strikes should not be seen as acts of rebellion but as a lawful last resort when the government fails to meet its obligations to workers.

He stated, “Union leaders are not anarchists or instigators of chaos. Strikes often happen as the necessary response to the government’s failure to fulfill its duties and uphold labor laws.”

Adeyemi noted that while the law says no wages should be paid during a strike, other sections of the same Act outline mediation and arbitration processes that the government often ignores.

The NASU General Secretary pointed to Section 15 of the Labour Act, which requires timely salary payments, arguing that withholding wages contradicts the very law authorities claim to follow.

He accused the federal government of hypocrisy, saying, “The selective application of ‘No Work, No Pay’ while ignoring ‘No Pay, No Work’ is unfair, unjust, and goes against the basic principles of fairness in industrial relations.”

Adeyemi also referenced international labor standards, noting that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) recognizes the right to strike under Conventions 87 and 98, both of which Nigeria has ratified. He argued that punishing unions for legitimate strikes violates those conventions.

While affirming that Nigerian workers remain dedicated despite low pay and tough working conditions, Adeyemi said, “It is hypocritical for the government to incite strikes through unmet commitments and then punish the victims of its own failures.”

He called on the government to implement collective bargaining practices in the public sector and to respect agreements made with unions, emphasizing that lasting industrial peace can only be achieved through dialogue, trust, and compliance with both national and international labor standards.