The National Industrial Court (NIC) on Tuesday, upheld the ‘no work no pay’, implementation policy of the Federal Government against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The decision was taken by the court in a suit filed by Federal Government against the university lecturers.
The Federal Government implemented the ‘no work no pay’ policy during the period the academic union embarked on strike.
In its ruling on the suit numbered NICN/ABJ/270/2022, the court held that the ‘no work no pay’ rule enforced by the Federal Government against members of the union who went on strike last year was entirely legal.
Justice Benedict Kanyip, the President of the Court, in a judgement delivered, held that it is within the right of the Federal Government to withhold salaries of workers who embark on industrial action.
However, the court held that Federal Government violated the autonomy of universities by imposing the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform on members of ASUU who reserve the right to determine how their salaries should be paid.
It could be recalled that ASUU was last February 14 embarked on an indefinite strike, which lasted eight months, in their demands for a better welfare package, revamping of the country’s education sector among others.
However, the Federal Government dragged the academic union before the National Industrial Court over the demand for the payment of their salaries from February 14 to October 7, 2022, when the strike was called off.