ASUSS sponsored by govs owing workers’ salaries

Nigeria Union of Teachers has said that the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools is being sponsored by governors owing workers’ salaries.

The union also stated that ASUSS was not registered and recognised under the trade union act adding that it was extorting secondary school teachers.

While briefing journalists in Lagos and  Abuja on Wednesday and Thursday respectively,  the NUT National President, Dr Nasir Idris, represented by the deputy president,  Kelvin Nwankwo, accused the leader of ASUSS, Mr Samuel Omaji, of making false claims had been making false and deceptive claim to have obtained judgement to unionise secondary school teachers.

Idris explained that according to the decision of the supreme court, NUT was awaiting the transmission of the matter to the court of appeal for the rehearing on jurisdiction of the federal high court.

He said, “I want you to find out; these people do not have any fixed address. One of the characteristics of a trade union is they can call for strike. Can ASUSS call for strike? And that is why they are using them, especially state governors who are not ready to perform  their duties of paying salaries to workers.”

“ASUSS’ hollow, deceptive and false claim to have obtained judgment to unionise secondary school teachers is reckless, complete falsehood and extraneous to the decisions of the Supreme Court, as well as other relevant labour laws  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The NUT leader said the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity through the Registrar of Trade Unions had earlier informed ASUSS promoters in a letter dated October 5, 2007, that “Your association is not registrable as a trade union in view of section 5(4) and 3(2) of the Trade Union Act Cap 437 of LFN 1990.

“Also in August 2009, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity in a letter ref no: ML.IB/19.T.31,  said, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools is not a registered trade union and cannot unionise secondary school teachers.”

He urged secondary school teachers not to fall prey to the ill-fated propaganda employed by ASUSS’ leadership.