Strike: ASUU drags FG to Appeal Court over NIC order

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has approached the Appellate Court seeking a reversal of the National Industrial Court (NIC) order that compelled the union to suspend its industrial action.

What happened: Pulse reports that, following an Abuja Appeal Court order asking the union to comply with an earlier judgement of the NIC, ASUU, on Friday, October 14, 2022, suspended its strike which had lasted eight months.

Recall that the NIC had on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, ordered lecturers to immediately suspend the industrial action and return to classrooms.

Justice Polycarp Hamman held that the strike was a breach of Section 18(1)(2) of the Trade Disputes Act, which prohibits their action.

ASUU files an appeal: Now, unsatisfied with the turn of event, the academic union has represented its case at the Appellate Court for a redress, with reports saying the court had yet to fix a date for the official hearing of the suit.

Confirming this to The Punch on Saturday, October 22, 2022, was the counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana (SAN).

Falana also noted that the union was still waiting for official hearing date from the Appellate Court, adding that the appeal had been filed since October 14, 2022.

“The appeal was filed on October 14, 2022. However, no date for hearing yet,” Falana told the pape.

The SAN also commented on the action of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to register new academic unions, describing the move as a deliberate illegality.