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The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has rejected the Federal Government’s offer of a 30 per cent increase in allowances, insisting that its members should receive the same welfare benefits approved for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, made the union’s position known on Sunday while speaking with journalists in Geneva, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference.
Adeyemi said the union was demanding parity in allowances following the Federal Government’s approval of a 40 per cent increase for ASUU members, arguing that non-academic workers face the same economic challenges as their academic counterparts.
“We are demanding that whatever is given to ASUU should also be given to us because we face the same economic realities,” he said.
According to him, NASU members play critical roles in the administration and functioning of universities and should not be subjected to unequal treatment in the allocation of welfare benefits.
He disclosed that the union turned down an earlier government proposal offering a 30 per cent increase in allowances.
“Government offered us 30 per cent and we said no. Though they are our senior colleagues, but we all go to the same market and buy the same fuel,” Adeyemi stated.
The NASU chief noted that the rising cost of living affects both academic and non-academic staff, stressing that landlords and service providers do not distinguish between workers when determining rents and charges.
“The cost of living affects all workers equally. We cannot accept a situation where one group receives significantly better allowances than another,” he added.
Adeyemi, however, revealed that negotiations between the union and the Federal Government had made significant progress and were approaching the final stage at the university level.
He explained that the outcome of the university sector negotiations would guide similar discussions involving polytechnics and colleges of education, where NASU also represents workers.
“We are almost reaching the end of the renegotiation process for universities. Once we conclude that, the other sectors may not be as difficult,” he said.
The union leader also accused the government of delaying the implementation of agreements reached with labour unions, warning that such actions often trigger industrial unrest across tertiary institutions.
He urged government representatives to uphold the principles of collective bargaining and honour agreements reached through negotiations.
“When agreements are freely entered into, they should be implemented. Failure to do so only creates avoidable crises in the education sector,” Adeyemi said.
Despite the disagreement over allowances, he expressed optimism that the ongoing talks would produce a favourable outcome capable of improving the welfare of non-academic staff in federal tertiary institutions.
Adeyemi reaffirmed NASU’s commitment to dialogue but maintained that workers deserved fair treatment and equitable compensation amid prevailing economic challenges.
