UMYU Unions Activate Two-Week Warning Strike Over Unresolved Grievances
Academic and non-academic workers at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU), Katsina, have jointly commenced a two-week warning strike to press home demands over unresolved welfare and administrative issues affecting the institution.
The industrial action, which began on November 3, was declared after a joint congress of the four in-house unions of the university — the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).
In a statement issued in Katsina on Wednesday, the ASUU Chairperson of the UMYU chapter, Dr. Murtala Abdullahi, who signed on behalf of all the unions, said the strike followed the failure of both the University Governing Council and the Katsina State Government to address lingering labour issues despite repeated appeals.
Dr. Abdullahi explained that the unions had, on several occasions, submitted a list of critical concerns to the relevant authorities. These include poor staff welfare, irregular promotion implementation, inadequate funding for academic activities, and failure to improve infrastructural facilities on campus.
According to him, the workers had exhausted all internal dispute-resolution mechanisms before deciding to embark on the warning strike, which he described as a last resort to draw attention to their plight.
“We have exercised patience for too long. Our grievances have been tabled repeatedly, yet there has been no meaningful response from the management or the state government. This warning strike is to give them another window to act before the situation escalates,” Abdullahi stated.
Checks across the university revealed that academic and administrative operations have been grounded since the commencement of the strike. Lecture halls remained closed, offices were locked, and students were seen loitering around the campus, expressing frustration over the sudden disruption.
Some students who spoke to journalists appealed to both the government and the unions to reach an amicable resolution, saying prolonged industrial actions in the past had already caused setbacks in their academic calendars.
Sources within the university management confirmed awareness of the strike but said dialogue with union leaders was ongoing. Meanwhile, officials of the Katsina State Ministry of Higher Education assured that efforts were being made to resolve the impasse and restore normalcy to the institution.
The ministry’s spokesperson, who requested anonymity, said:
“The government remains committed to improving the welfare of university workers and providing the necessary support to ensure uninterrupted academic activities. We believe the current situation will be resolved through continued engagement.”
The unions have warned that if their grievances are not addressed within the two-week period, they may proceed on an indefinite strike.
This latest development adds to the wave of industrial actions that have recently hit tertiary institutions across Nigeria, as workers continue to demand better funding, improved conditions of service, and adherence to agreements previously reached with the government.
