APPEAL COURT ORDERS ASUU TO CALL OFF STRIKE
The court of appeal sitting in Abuja on friday ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its strike immediately.
The appellate court granted ASUU the permission to file its appeal against the federal government but ruled that it must be on the condition that its members resume work immediately.
The panel led by Justice Hamman Barka said that failure to adhere to the order will make the appeal by ASUU unacceptable to the court of appeal.
ASUU has been on strike for eight months, since february 14 to demand for an agreement it entered with the federal government since 2009 seeking for review of salaries for lecturers and improved funding for development of universities.
The federal government resolved to intervention of the national industrial court to challenge the stance of ASUU as the union refused other efforts to resolve the dispute.
The industrial court in its ruling on September 21, granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Rejecting the ruling, ASUU approached the court of appeal to challenge the order of the industrial court.
The court of appeal told the parties to use the option of out-of-court settlement but both parties failed to reach an agreement.
Delivering its judgement, the appeal court ruled that ASUU must show evidence that its members have resumed work before it can be able to file its notice of appeal within seven days.
