Union insists non-academic staff should enjoy same welfare benefits as academic workers as talks near conclusion
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has demanded parity in allowances with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in ongoing negotiations with the Federal Government.
NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, made the demand on Sunday in Geneva, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, insisting that non-academic workers deserve equal welfare treatment.
He said the union rejected an earlier 30 per cent allowance offer, noting that ASUU had reportedly secured a 40 per cent increase, which NASU wants extended to its members.
According to him, non-academic staff face the same economic realities as their academic counterparts and should not be treated differently in welfare negotiations.
Adeyemi added that discussions with the Federal Government were progressing at the university level and nearing conclusion, expressing optimism that the outcome would influence agreements in polytechnics and colleges of education where NASU also represents workers.
He urged government negotiators to honour agreements reached with unions to avoid recurring industrial disputes, stressing that fairness and implementation were key to sustaining industrial harmony in the education sector.