By Joy Oche

The National Industrial Court has upheld the Federal Government’s ‘no work no pay’ policy in the case against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In a recent judgment, Justice Benedict Kanyip, the President of the Court, ruled that the no work no pay rule implemented by the Federal Government against ASUU members during their strike last year is legally sound.

The court acknowledged that the Federal Government has the right to withhold salaries of workers who engage in industrial action.

However, the court also declared that the imposition of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform on ASUU members, thereby infringing on university autonomy, was not permissible. ASUU maintains the right to determine how their salaries should be disbursed.

It should be noted that the Federal Government had taken legal action against ASUU at the National Industrial Court due to the Union’s request for salary payments covering the period from February 14 to October 7, 2022, when the strike was eventually called off.