The management of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has come under fire from the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) leadership for allegedly intimidating union members who might engage in any form of industrial action.
The management of FUNAAB had previously been informed by the national NASU body that its members would begin a seven-day warning strike on Monday.
The NASU claims that the university has interfered excessively in its affairs, incited members to act against the union leadership, victimised them, denied them promotions, arrested and detained their members, and suspended four of the association’s members.
In response, the Registrar of FUNAAB, Dr Bola Adekola, asked the NASU national headquarters to steer clear of its affairs, asking it to withdraw the directive for strike action.
Adekola said there is nothing happening in FUNAAB to warrant NASU going on strike, saying it is grossly illegal for the national body of NASU to declare a strike for FUNAAB workers.
But a statement on Tuesday by Its Chairman, S. I. Edivri, said no responsible union like NASU will fold its arms with all the “shenanigans, lawlessness and impunity” going on at FUNAAB.
“It is bitterly disheartening that any university management can descend so low into blackmailing, attacking, and character assassinating of its own staff just because it wants to hijack the administration of the staff union,” Edivri stated.
He maintained that “the management’s shenanigan attitudes and lies” could not deter NASU-FUNAAB members from embarking on the 7-day strike to press home its demands.
“In fact, the strike has already commenced and is in full force following its formal declaration in a well-attended congress on October 24, 2022, in the university despite various kinds of intimidation from the management.”
“The leadership and the entire members of NASU-FUNAAB branch commended the national headquarters for its pro-activeness to defend and save the downtrodden and workers from the hand of NASU oppressors,” he said.