A STUDY ON THE HISTORY OF ASUU STRIKES IN NIGERIA, 1978-2013
ABSTRACT
The study appraises the historical development of ASSU strikes in nigeria.The work examines the causes, effects and management of Academic Staff Union of Universities strikes in Nigerian Universities which also serve as the objectives of this study. Data used was from secondary sources. The study emphasized that the industrial conflict between ASUU and the government can be understood as having the features of a class dispute and that it entails both economic and political factors. Besides domestic factors directly affect the disputes (e.g. low wages and conditions of service, poor and erratic funding, rising student population and weak institutional autonomy). From our result, this study revealed that external factors (particularly the effects of Nigeria’s macroeconomic policies) contributed to the intensity of the disputes. Consequently, the study concludes that the factors affecting the industrial disputes (strike) between the ASUU and the government have been largely propelled by historical, economic and political factors which have become institutionalized and embedded in the Nigerian polity so that the disputes will continue to be difficult to resolve. Finally, to resolve these issues between Federal Government and ASUU, this study recommends among others that; the Federal Government should create a strong forum where the active actors (Government, Management and ASUU) meet and deliberate on issues affecting them instead of expressing it through strike action. Furthermore, the Federal Government should provide a progressive increase of 26% or more in the Annual Budgetary Allocation to education.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Introduction Since colonial period, Nigeria labour market has witnessed many industrial conflicts between the major actors: Management and the employees. In most cases, it is as a result of conflict of interests as regards wages and working conditions. Wogu in Doublegist, (2013) highlights major industrial disputes experienced in Nigeria starting from 1912. In 1929 an attempt to introduce direct taxation in Eastern Nigeria sparked off the historic Aba women’s Riot. In 1938 the agitation of rail workers for good working conditions gave rise to the industrial action of 1938. In 1941, the Civil Service Union in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Railway Men began the agitation for a cost of living allowance which was then known as war bonus after the Second World War. Wogu (1969:44) further stresses that the general strike of 1945 was one of the most important events in the Nigerian labour history with the exception of Iva valley shooting incident of 1949, and the general strike of 1964. The immediate cause of the1945 strike was the unwillingness of the colonial regime to honor its pledges to workers. On June 21, 1947 there was abrutal shooting by the police on the defenseless UAC (United African Company) employees in Burutu, which led them to strike in furtherance of a wage demand. Two years later, in November 18th, 1949 there was also brutal shooting of the striking coal miners at Iva Valley Coal Mine who were agitating for an improved working conditions and the inhuman treatment of the local miners by the colonial government. About 21 miners were killed and many of them injured. Wogu (1969) referred to the event as Enugu Blood Bath. Progressively, on December 14, 1950 the workers embarked on strike demanding for a cost of living allowance. Nine years later precisely on January, 1959 the Airways Workers Union organized a strike over a wage claim and improved conditions of employment. To beat the strike, the management promised to offer ten pounds to any worker who fails to join the strike. In 1964, there was a general strike carried out by the United Labour Union over the non-implementation of the revised salary structure. Workers demonstrated their grievances in the streets of Lagos and some labour leaders were tortured in the process by the police. Also in 1976, the Murtala/Obasanjo regime banned Nigeria labour congress (NLC), and banned labour leaders that were perceived as being radical, that is, Wahab Goodluck, Imoudu etc from partaking in trade union activities. The regime also promulgated a decree name “disqualifications of certain persons Act” to back this Act up. Later the ban was lifted in 1978. General Babangida administration also banned NLC in 1988 and imposed an employer, Micheal Ogunkoya as sole administrator. General Abacha administration also banned Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and imposed sole administrators on them. One thing that stands out is the fact that despite all these vicious attack on the trade union organizations, the unions always come out of it due to workers fight back. This confirms the fact that no power on earth can destroy the revolutionary will of the working class. We saw this in the 1981 general strike over the minimum wage and pension led by comrade Hassan Adebayo. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was formed in 1978, a successor to the National Association of University Teachers formed in 1965 and covering academic staff in all of the Federal and State Universities in the country. The union was active in struggles against the military regime during the 1980s. In 1988 the union organized a National Strike to obtain fair wages and university autonomy. As a result, the ASUU was proscribed on 7 August 1988 and all its property seized. It was allowed to resume in 1990, but after another strike was again banned on 23 August 1992 (Nwala, 1994). In 1994 and 1996 during the regime of late Sani Abacha, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) carried out an industrial action throughout the federation which lasted for more than one year over good working conditions and dismissal of staff. Also in 1999, when Obasanjo came into power as a civilian president, ASUU went on a nation-wide strike which lasted for five months before it was called off. In 2001 also, ASUU went on strike which lasted for three months old. Also in 2002 ASUU also embarked on six months old strike action over the better working conditions (Doublegist, 2013). Similarly, in 2009 the ASUU also embarked on six months old strike demanding for a revised salary structure and better working conditions. In 2010, the academic staff union of universities in the south east states of Nigeria embarked on five months strike over the non-implementation of the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement. On August, 2011, the Nigeria Labour Congress also embarked on nationwide warning strike over the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage by the federal government as promised by the President, Goodluck Jonathan during his campaign. On June, 2013, ASUU also embarked on national strike which lasted up to eight to nine months on the ground that the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement and revitalization of universities with 1.3 trillion naira over a period of six years has not being fulfilled as earlier promised. However, considering the past history of Nigerian industrial relations, one may conclude that industrial conflict is a dominant factor in the Nigerian Labour Relations (Doublegist, 2013). Consequently, this research work probes into these principal questions: 1. What are the causes of ASUU strike in Nigerian Universities? 2. What are the effects of ASUU strike in Nigerian Universities? 3. What are the possible alternatives to the management of ASUU strikes in Nigerian Universities?
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study will be guided by the following objectives: 1. To find out the cause of ASUU strike in Nigerian Universities 2003-2013.
2. To examine the effects of ASUU strike in Nigeria. 3. To explain how ASUU strike could better be managed
To get the complete project or material
Pay #3000 (10 Dollars) for Project material
Pay #5000 (30 Dollars) for complete project.
BANK TRANSFER OR DEPOSIT
PAYMENT DETAILS:
- ACCOUNT NAME : SAMUEL CHARLES
ACCOUNT NO. : 2009884029
BANK : FIRST BANK
ACCOUNT TYPE: CURRENT ACCOUNT
(2) ACCOUNT NAME : SAMUEL CHARLES
ACCOUNT NO. : 2078806476
BANK : UBA
ACCOUNT TYPE: SAVINGS ACCOUNT
AFTER PAYMENT SEND YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS AS FOLLOWS –
NAME
TOPIC
DEPARTMENT
MOBILE NUMBER
AMOUNT PAID
TO +2348077215645 , +2348176196229 AS SMS OR WHATSAPP MESSAGE OR
E-MAIL: distinctvaluedproject@gmail.com
