By Ibrahim Abdul’ Aziz/Yola.
The management of Adamawa State University (ADSU) Mubi has threatened to stop paying the salaries of striking lectures of the institution as the current strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) enters its third month.
The position was made available to newsmen in a press statement signed by the Registrar of the University Mrs. J.M Garnvwa.
The statement noted that the University management draws its power to withheld salaries of striking workers from subsection 4 of the labour act chapter 198, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
It added that under the section which was capped “Rights of Employers and Employees” the University was empowered to withhold the salary of any member of staff who was on strike for 90 days.
Furthermore, the state university said under the extant labor laws the University is sufficiently empowered to stop payment of salaries for workers that are on strike for 90 days as quoted by the constitution thus:“Every employee is free to be a member of a trade union and to participate in its lawful activities.
“Every employer is free to be a member of an employer’s organization and to participate in its lawful activities.
“No employee shall demand as a right from the employer any payment of the agreed wages after the 90th date of a subsisting strike action.
“Every employer however, has an obligation to bring the subsistence and effect of subsection (4) of this section to the notice of the striking employee (s) with the aims of arriving at an amicable resolution of the strike action”, the statement added.
The management further warned the striking workers to note that the 90th date of the subsisting strike action has expired on Monday 30th September, 2013 as a result of which the University deemed it right not to pay members of the university’s striking workers salaries, anymore.
The Chairperson of Academic Staff Union of Universities Adamawa State University Chapter Mr. Molem L. Ishaku said they are unperturbed by the empty threats of the University’s management.
He added that when they received the threat letter they met with the V. C of the University Professor Alkasum Abbah where they told him pointblank that the strike is a national issue and they will continue to abide by the decision of the national body of ASUU until they
receive a contrary directive .
Ishaku added that there is no going back on the strike and they will never allow the University management to shortchange them just as he said the V.C is partially implementing the labor act to suit his interests.
“We are fully backed by ASUU and we have consulted them on the issue and got their full fledged support to continue with the strike as the University Management is lopsidedly implementing the law to suit their interest”, Ishaku added.