The non- teaching workers of Nigerian universities have threatened to embark on strike as soon as universities reopen after the COVID – 19 lockdown .
The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non – Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions issued the threat at a press briefing held in Abuja on Thursday .
The briefing was jointly addressed by the President of SSANU , Samson Ugwoke; and General Secretary of NASU , Peters Adeyemi .
The unions said that despite series of letters to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System since February 2020 , their members were still confronted with several challenges, particularly with salary payments .
Ugwoke who is chairman of JAC and President of SSANU said their members had experienced inexplicable delays in salary payments due to IPPIS .
He said , “As responsible unions, we have avoided these crisis but the irresponsibility of government and its officials have led us to a point where it has become inevitable. If fight we must , then fight we will .
“If by the time schools are asked to reopen and the needful is not done , it means hope is lost and the earlier avoidable industrial conflict becomes inevitable . This is what we seek to avert, hence this public outcry and call .”
Other issues raised by the unions included haphazard payments leading to non – payment , underpayment , overpayments and and non -issuance of payslips to workers .
