THE Federal Government has said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) lacks the power to dictate to government how to receive its members’ salary.
It said the union’s members, being employees of government, must abide by labour laws on how to be paid.
The government spoke through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
The minister said the Federal Government would invoke various labour laws – local and international – on the striking university teachers to make them reason with the government.
He urged the lecturers to resume discussion on some of the issues it raised with the government.
The ASUU leadership, on March 23, declared an indefinite strike over the new payroll system and the non-implementation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.
Ngige also said the taxes being deducted by bursars and vice chancellors of universities were not reflective of PAYE (Pay As You Earn).