AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE HISTORY OF ASUU STRIKES IN NIGERIA, 1978-2013

Abstract

This 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. Keywords: ASUU; Strikes; Management; Industrial Conflict.