ASUP suspends indefinite strike

After striking a new deal with the federal government, polytechnic lecturers affiliated with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have called off their two-week strike. On Monday, December 16, the union instructed its members to return to work nationwide. 

The decision to halt the strike was made in response to a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was agreed during a conciliation meeting with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on December 9th, according to a statement released Friday in Abuja and signed by ASUP President Shammah Kpanja.

The statement said: “Members of the Union and indeed the general public may recall that our Union declared a 2 week definite strike effective 2nd December, 2024 over the inability of the government through its agencies to execute nine items in the work plan jointly developed with our Union to resolve some pending issues of trade dispute.

“You will also recall that a strike was declared to serve as a warning and precursor to an indefinite strike.

“Within the period of the strike, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment convened a conciliation meeting between our Union and the government on the 9th December, 2024 to resolve the dispute and save the sector from the impending indefinite strike.

“At the meeting, a new memorandum of understanding was signed with a caveat that another meeting will be held on 23rd January, 2025 to assess compliance by parties as well as to address other issues.

“After this meeting, the Union’s National Executive Council will meet to review the situation.

“In view of this development, all members of the Union are directed to resume duties from Monday 16th December, 2024.

“While we thank and commend our members for their commitment and resilience, it is our Union’s expected hope that the government will diligently work to ensure a fruitful resolution of the issues in dispute.”

Source