UPDATE: COURT UPHOLDS FG’S ‘NO WORK, NO PAY’ RULE AGAINST ASUU

May 30, 2023

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The Federal Government’s “no work, no pay” policy was maintained by the National Industrial Court in a case brought against the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

In a ruling handed down by Justice Benedict Kanyip, the court’s president, today (Tuesday), the court ruled that the Federal Government has the power to withhold wages from employees who engage in industrial action.

It was decided that the no work, no pay policy used by the federal government to penalize ASUU members who went on strike the previous year is legitimate.

The Federal Government’s attempt to impose the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System platform on ASUU members who reserve the right to choose how their wages should be paid, according to the court, is a violation of university autonomy.

The National Industrial Court had been summoned by the Federal Government after the ASUU demanded payment of its members’ salaries from February 14 to October 7, 2022, the date the strike was called off.

During the previous Muhammadu Buhari administration, the FG refused to pay the academics’ wages for the entire time they were on strike and insisted on following its “no work, no pay” policy instead. ASUU insisted on receiving compensation for all the months they went on strike.