ASUP Suspends Strike, Members To Resume On Monday

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has suspended its two-week warning strike and directed members nationwide to resume duties on Monday, December 16, 2024.

ASUP embarked on the strike on December 2, 2024, over what it described as the neglect of polytechnic education in Nigeria and unresolved trade dispute issues.

In a statement dated December 12 and shared with journalists on Friday, the ASUP National President, Shammah Kpanja, announced the suspension.

He explained that the decision followed a conciliation meeting with officials of the Ministry of Labour and Employment on December 9, 2024.

The statement reads: “The general public may recall that our union declared a two-week definite strike effective 2nd December 2024 over the inability of government through its agencies to execute nine items in the work plan jointly developed with our Union to resolve some pending issues of trade dispute.

You will also recall that a strike was declared to serve as a warning and precursor to an indefinite strike.

“Within the period of the strike, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment convened a conciliation meeting between our Union and the government on the 9th of December 2024 to resolve the dispute and save the sector from the impending indefinite strike.

“At the meeting, a new memorandum of understanding was signed with a caveat that another meeting will be held on 23rd January 2025 to assess compliance by parties as well as to address other issues.

“After this meeting, the union’s National Executive Council will meet to review the situation.

“In view of this development, all members of the Union are directed to resume duties from Monday 16th December 2024.”

ASUP’s National Executive Council will assess progress ahead of the January 2025 meeting to determine the next steps.