We are not temporary workers, the ASUU leadership declares, remaining silent on whether they intend to call another strike.

According to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government decision to pay its members half salary for the month of October is being challenged in court. On October 14, the lecturers who had been on strike for eight months ended it and returned to the classroom. They were astonished to get only half of their salaries at the end of the month. Chris Ngige, the minister of labor and employment, had outlined how their pay was determined by how many days they put in. The union, which was discussing this development at its National Executive Council meeting, declared that the government so called pro rata payment is not only an anomaly but also a violation of all established standards of engagement in any employment contract. for academics the world over. President of the union, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, argued that members of the union are not casual workers but intellectuals who cannot be paid on pro rata basis. Pro rata essentially translates to "in proportion," which means a process where whatever is being allocated will be distributed in equal portions Although the union leader was silent on whether they would embark on another strike, he, however, appealed for the understanding of Nigerian students, parents, and other genuinely concerned individuals and groups in the country Reading the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, Osodeke said the government action to pay academics like casual workers, is unprecedented in the history of university oriented labor relations. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) suspended its eight month strike on 14th October 2022, in obedience to the order of the National Industrial Court and in further consideration of intervention efforts of well meaning Nigerians, including the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The action of the Union was a display of manifest trust in the judiciary and other institutions and organs of government to always put national interest above all other considerations. This we believe, as a union of thinkers, intellectuals, and patriots, will not only aid the process of amicable resolution of the crisis but will also set the tone for smooth industrial relations between Government and Nigerian workers at large. Unfortunately, the response of the government towards ASUU demonstration of trust was the so called pro rata payment for eighteen days as the October 2022 salaries of academics thereby portraying them as daily paid workers This is not only an aberration but a contravention of all known rules of engagement in any contract of employment for academics the world over. At an emergency meeting of the ASUU National Executive Committee (NEC), held on Monday, 7 November 2022, the Union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike. NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a pro rata basis, like casual workers, is unprecedented in the history of university oriented labor relations and therefore condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its entirety. NEC commends the membership of ASUU for their perseverance in the face of untold hardship and unwarranted provocation by some notorious agents of the ruling class. NEC further appeals for the understanding of Nigerian students, parents, and other genuinely concerned individuals and groups while the Union continues to pursue a positive resolution of this avoidable crisis within the ambit of legality without compromising the interests and welfare of Nigerian intellectuals.