03/07/2022
*THE BENEFITS OF INSTITUTION BASED UNION*
Every plants has their requirements to grow and so is people and our educational institutions like; Polytechnics, Universities, Colleges of Education etc. their problems, challenges and needs to develop into a world class standard institutions are peculiar.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), and Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has hidden energy to negotiate, bargain and influence government education policies, regulations and decisions, and it comes from their act of establishment as an institution based Unions. The academic staff unions in Nigeria are not merged as Trade Groups under the control of an umbrella Trade Union, but are registered to operate independently as Trade Unions. And the Unions leaders from the Chapters to the National Executive Council are part of the system as experience staff of the educational institution as well the leaders
knows better what teaching staff and their institutions requires for growths and development. And these are the secret powers of ASUU, ASUP, COEASU and NUT to influence the Federal Government.
Not until the emerged of NOTSUP in 2012 and registration in 2021, Nigeria Non Teaching Staff of educational institutions has no Trade Unions just like the Academic Staff Unions. In 1977 all Non Teaching Staff Unions; Auchi Polytechnic Workers Union, Ibadan Polytechnic Workers Union, Non-Tutorial Staff Association of Educational Institutions of East-Central State, East-Central State Union of Education Non-Tutorial Employees, Nigerian Union of Non-Teaching Staff, and Secondary Schools Non-Teaching Staff Workers' and thirty four (34) others were merged as Trade Groups under a Union called the Non Academic Staff Union.
The Non Teaching Staff of educational institutions are faced with issues bordering on their conditions of service, scheme of service, regulations, policies, etc, which the Non Academic Staff Union lacks the capacity to resolve because [1] the numbers of educational institutions have increased as it was in 1977 of which in 2025 it will multiply [2] the issues and needs for development of non teaching staff of each educational institution is complex, dynamics and distinct [3] the national, zonal and state leadership of Non Academic Staff Union are not experience or staff of any educational institutions and have no tenure in office like Academic Staff Union is two (2) or three (3) years.
The non teaching staff of universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education etc, before now are members of their institution Trade Groups under the umbrella of Non Academic Staff Union, and not members of a Trade Union, the Trade Group recognized each institution as branch and the Trade Group activities is coordinated by a Deputy Secretary while a General Secretary Overseas all the Trade Groups business.
Today, non teaching staff of polytechnics has an institution based Trade Union, the Non-Teaching Staff Union of Polytechnics (NOTSUP), the Union leadership from the National, Zone, State and Chapter are experience staff in polytechnic institution and have tenure in office like other institution based Union. So every polytechnic non teaching staff is free from the Polytechnics Trade Group and to join a Trade Union NOTSUP.
The emerged of National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigeria Universities (NANTS) in 2015 is a good development for universities as there is no better ways non teaching staff of
educational institutions can develop else they have their own institution based Union like the Academic Staff Unions.
Let's support our own!
