The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Lagos State University (LASU) has declared an indefinite strike. This decision was made in response to the Lagos State Government's failure to implement a federal government-approved salary increment of 25 and 35 percent for its members, which had been pending since January 2023.
The announcement was made by ASUU-LASU Chairperson, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, and Secretary, Sylvester Idowu, who emphasized that the strike was a necessary measure due to the state government's refusal to comply with the agreed salary adjustments.
The strike action is part of movement within the university, as it aligns with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all staff unions at LASU. JAC includes not only ASUU but also the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
These unions collectively demand that the Lagos State Government harmonize their salary scales with those of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), where staff reportedly earn better salaries.
The union's statement highlighted that the salary increment has already been implemented in all federal universities and 18 state universities, leaving LASU as one of the few exceptions. This discrepancy has fueled discontent among the academic staff, who feel marginalized and undervalued compared to their counterparts in other institutions.
In their official communication, ASUU-LASU expressed frustration over the government's failure to act on the recommendations of a committee set up to address salary harmonization. Despite ongoing efforts by the state government and university management to resolve the issue, the union remains firm in its stance that the strike will continue until their demands are met.
The strike has sparked reactions from various stakeholders, including student leaders who initially claimed that only ASUU was involved in the strike. However, the union clarified that the action is comprehensive and involves multiple staff unions, dismissing any notion that students have a stake in the matter.
"We wish to remind them that students have no stake in the matter or possess any right to meddle into welfare issues involving staff members of the university and the government," the union stated, urging students not to be used in matters that do not directly concern them.
The strike at LASU is part of a larger pattern of industrial actions by ASUU across Nigeria, driven by the union's commitment to protecting its members' welfare and addressing perceived injustices by the government. Historically, ASUU strikes have been triggered by unmet demands related to funding, legal frameworks for negotiation, and overall conditions of service for university staff.
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