FG Adopt Nimi Briggs’ Draft To End Strike - ASUU IMSU

The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has being advised to adopt the Nimi Briggs draft based on collective bargaining as a way to end the lingering strike.

The Chairperson of ASUU of Imo State University Owerri, Comrade Odinakachukwu Ejiogu told Tribune Online in Owerri Saturday.

He also advised that the effort of the House of Representatives in resolving the issue should be recognised so that the matter will end.

Comrade Ejiogu said that the last ASUU engagement with the Federal Government on the basis of collective bargaining as contained in the Nimi Briggs draft way back in June this year should as a matter of necessity be looked into with a view of resolving the compass.

According to him, the draft provided possible areas that could be agreed upon by both parties and those that may not be agreed upon adding that in doing that both parties would agree to shift ground as opposed to either the Federal Government or her agents talking down on ASUU or bringing a kind of imposition or awards which is not a product of collective bargaining.

He said: “my advice is to inform those coming to the negotiating table to come with open minds rather than with ideas that are bereft of personal vendetta”.

Comrade Ejiogu maintained that if the principle of collective bargaining is allowed to rule in all negotiations, the strike would immediately be resolved.

On the registration of two new trade unions under the academic environment by the Minister for Labour and Productivity, the ASUU chairperson described it as illegality, a distraction and as a way of emasculating ASUU.

He said: “if the Minister is unable to coordinate the activities of ASUU in a strike, how much more will he be able to coordinate the activities of two more trade unions in the University?”.

The union chairperson insisted that it is illegal for more than one trade union to operate within the same academic field.

According to him, creating other trade unions under the same field is purely a distraction adding that it would have been better for the Minister to look at issues presented by ASUU and know how to tackle them point by point as opposed to creating another union.

He said: “we will not allow it, I see a lot of desperation of energy in the wrong direction. The creation of other union is clearly without focus, and simply reactionary”.