IMPLICATIONS OF ‘NO WORK, NO PAY’ ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES’ (ASUU) MEMBERS IN MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, UMUDIKE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the conflict between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG), focusing on issues such as inadequate funding, poor salaries, and unfavorable working conditions. These disputes often arise from unmet promises or the government's failure to honor agreements with ASUU. In 2022, the FG took ASUU to court, resulting in the enforcement of the "no work, no pay" policy. The primary concerns fueling ASUU's strikes include insufficient funding of public universities, low lecturer salaries, non-compliance with signed agreements, and the imposition of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The no work, no pay policy, has particularly impacted the productivity of ASUU members at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU). This study, guided by Mary Parker Follett’s conflict management theory, investigated the effects of the no work, no pay policy on ASUU members' productivity at MOUAU. A cross-sectional research design was used, with a sample of 320 academic staff members surveyed through closed-ended questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including tables, frequencies, and percentages. The findings reveal that the policy negatively affected productivity, causing demotivation and job dissatisfaction among academic staff. The study recommends that the government abandons the no work, no pay policy, pay outstanding salaries to ASUU members, and adhere to signed agreements, while emphasizing the importance of collective bargaining for national progress.