The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has demanded allowance parity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in ongoing renegotiations with the Federal Government.
Mr. Peters Adeyemi, NASU’s General Secretary, announced the union’s position while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Geneva, Switzerland.
Adeyemi, who spoke during the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), insisted that non-academic workers deserve equal welfare benefits.
Specifically, he said the union was seeking parity in allowances following the Federal Government’s approval of a 40 percent increase in allowances for ASUU members.
He emphasized that NASU members perform critical roles in universities and should not be treated differently in welfare benefits and negotiated entitlements.
“We are demanding that whatever is given to ASUU should also be given to us because we face the same economic realities,” Adeyemi stated.
He added that the union rejected an earlier offer of a 30 percent increase in allowances, insisting it was inadequate compared to what was granted to ASUU.
“Government offered us 30 percent, and we said no. Though they are our senior colleagues, we all buy the same fuel and face the same market conditions,” he explained.
Adeyemi pointed out that landlords and service providers do not discriminate between academic and non-academic 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 said.
He noted that negotiations with the federal government had made substantial progress and were nearing conclusion at the university sector level.
He added that the outcome of university negotiations would influence discussions on polytechnics and colleges of education, where NASU also represents workers.
“We are almost at the end of the renegotiation process for universities. Once concluded, other sectors may not face as many challenges,” he explained.
Adeyemi expressed concern that the government was delaying the implementation of agreements reached with unions, which often fuels industrial disputes across tertiary institutions.
He emphasized that sincere collective bargaining is essential for industrial harmony and urged government representatives to negotiate in good faith.
“When agreements are freely entered into, they should be implemented. Failure to do so only creates avoidable crises in the education sector,” he stated.
Adeyemi expressed hope that ongoing discussions would lead to positive outcomes that improve the welfare of non-academic staff across federal tertiary institutions.
He reaffirmed NASU’s commitment to dialogue but stressed that workers expect fair treatment and equitable compensation aligned with current economic realities.
