Ibadan — The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its solidarity for the striking primary and secondary school teachers nationwide, calling on the federal government to issue, without further delay, "the relevant circular on the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) so that Nigerian teachers can return to classes."

At a press conference addressed by its National President, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie in Ibadan at the weekend, ASUU described teachers strike as "a genuine expression of the desire of the majority of Nigerians who wish to secure education for their children in order to guarantee a bright future for them."

"The strike is a struggle for the establishment of a solid foundation for the education system in Nigeria, a prerequisite for the attainment of Vision 2020 and the Millennium Development Goals by 2015," ASUU further said.

Awuzie declared that ASUU would not hesitate to join the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in its industrial action which he described as a just struggle should the federal government fail to hearken to their demands.

His words: "We are in constant communication with the NUT and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and also the civil society organisations on the matter. We strongly believe that the federal government will act, but where it does not heed to this, the next line of action will be decided by the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU in collaboration with the NLC and other civil society organisations."

But ASUU maintained that the federal government should be held responsible for the present industrial crisis and its adverse consequences in view of government's persistent refusal to implement the agreement reached with the teachers on how to solve the problem of the poor remuneration through the TSS.

The union declared that government's refusal to implement the TSS or repudiate unilaterally an agreement reached with NUT "should not be accepted in a country where industrial justice, the basis of industrial democracy obtains. Therefore, government should be held responsible for the present industrial crisis and the adverse consequences."

To this end, ASUU charged the generality of Nigerians notably workers, parents, professional groups and the entire civil society to continue to stand by the striking teachers in their current "patriotic struggle."

ASUU further justified the reported picketing of some private schools by the striking teachers saying the action is covered by the labour laws.

Commenting on the planned out of court settlement of the protracted tussle over the controversial sack of the 49 University of Ilorin lecturers, the ASUU President said that the union is convinced with the arrangement "so as to allow peace to reign and because it is also part of the rule of law."

"Courts give justice. Courts do not give peace. Out of court settlement guarantees peace because egos that appeared bruised, would have been sorted because it involves give and take. That is why courts have deemed it fit to introduce what we call the Alternative Conflict Resolution mechanisms," he posited.