Time never relents in telling the truth. Many people have criticized and prejudicially crucified ASUU on its various demands during the last and yet concluded strike action. But after due examination and pronouncements by the Industrial Court on all the contentious issues on 30 May 2023, ASUU was vindicated. At the end of the Court sitting, the lead FG's solicitor went out angrily for losing it all. Firstly, against the prayer of the claimant (FG), the Court declared the strike action by ASUU as purely legal. It further declared that FG's imposition of IPPIS as a payment system on ASUU members is illegal and that the power to choose a payment platform is solely bestowed on the Governing Council of individual Universities. Additionally, the Court held that FG has not satisfactorily satisfied ASUU's demands, such as salary review, EAA and revitalization.
Although ASUU got all the above favourable judgements, the media wildly went sensational to report only the "no work, no pay" Court decision in a mutilated and unprofessional manner. And this is where I want to take them up.
In the most critical sense, it can be said that ASUU won the case of "no work, no pay" because the prayer the FG sought to be granted was the "unlawfulness of paying ASUU members". In essence, the FG wanted the Court to declare any attempt to pay ASUU members who partook in the strike as unlawful or illegal. This is to prepare a solid ground for them not to pay. By implication, any public officer who made such an attempt, either officially or unofficially, can be held guilty of indulging in illegality. But the Court outrightly rejected and dismissed the prayer holding that the payment is lawful but optional. It is optional because it depends on the prevailing circumstances and evidence of negations. It can be deduced that here, the judgment is flexible and broad, which signifies wisdom of pronouncement. We may recall that, in the case of ASUU, one of the triggers of the strike was the forceful enrollment of academic staff into IPPIS, which the Court ruled as an error and a breach of the University establishment extant law.
So, the judgement is evident and worth celebrating because even on this platform, some learned colleagues blackmailed ASUU and its members for resisting IPPIS for UTAS. They felt it was sheer greed for employees to choose a payment platform. And all efforts to educate them probed abortive.
Dr Hashim added "they're now cowardly silent.
All the "you cannot determine how you're paid by your employer" peeps are gone now that the Court insists IPPIS is illegal in universities.
ASUU keeps saying that because you're in government, it doesn't mean you can constitute yourself into State and abrogate laws. Instead, you must be guided by our laws. Yet, the natty heads went home with their propaganda point.
Next time, know things before forming strong opinions based on political soundbites from a political masquerade garbed in beer-induced contempt for the academia.
Long Live ASUU
By
Sani IDRIS
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