The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has suspended its eight-month strike, at the end of the National Executive Council meeting which was held at the ASUU secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, 13th October, 2022.
The academic union embarked on strike action on Monday 14th February, 2022, to protest the non-implementation of the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding reached with it by the Federal Government, over issues revolving around revitalizing public universities, and a review of lecturers’ salaries and allowances, among other matters.
After several meetings to resolve the strike ended inconclusively, the Federal government proceeded to the National Industrial Court to challenge the strike action.
The industrial court, in a ruling delivered on September 21th 2022, granted the Federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Not satisfied with the ruling, ASUU approached the court of appeal seeking leave to challenge the lower court’s decision, which the court of appeal subsequently asked the parties to explore the option of an out-of-court settlement.
However, both parties agreed to proceed with the hearing after failing to settle.
Delivering a ruling at the resumed court session on October 7th, 2022, the appeal court ordered the union to call off its strike. The appellate court said ASUU should obey the order of the industrial court before seeking to appeal the judgment.
The panel led by Hamman Barka said for ASUU to file its notice of appeal within seven days, it must show evidence that its members have resumed work immediately, and if the panel held the failure to adhere to the order will make the appeal incompetent before the court of appeal.
Story: Hilda Katu