The Plateau State University, Bokkos has suspended the Chairman and Secretary of the varsity’s chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Messrs Timnan Rimdap and Dusu Sambo Yaro.
The suspension letters, dated January 27 and signed by  the university’s Registrar, Mr Amos Mallo, indicated that the suspension was for three months during which they would receive only half of their basic salaries.
Timnan is the Head of the ICT unit, while Yaro is in the academic planning unit.
The letters barred them from entering the university’s premises during the period “except with the express permission of the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar or Acting Chief Security Officer”.
The officers were directed to hand over their duties and Identity Cards to the most senior officers in their departments.
A copy of Timnan’s suspension letter indicated that he was fired after management felt dissatisfied with his response to queries bordering on SSANU issues and alleged absence from duty.
They were accused of “insubordination, lack of respect to constituted authority and attempting to tarnish the image of the university through falsehood and misrepresentation of facts”.
Sources from the Registry traced the development to the inauguration, on November 23, of the school’s chapter of SSANU, by the union’s national body, and the subsequent request for members’ check-off dues by the Timnan-led interrim executive committee.
The Tide learnt that the Vice Chancellor declined the request for the dues, and insisted that he would only recognise the body after it had been registered by the school.
Copies of numerous letters, between the management and SSANU, showed that while the former insisted on registering, before recognising every trade union, the latter argued that the registration of trade unions was the sole responsibility of the Registrar of Trade Unions.
In one of such letters, SSANU quoted section 3 (1) of the Trade Unions Act 2004, as conferring that privilege only on the office of the Registrar of Trade Unions in the Federal Ministry of Employment, Labour and Productivity.
“The National President of SSANU – a registered trade union – has granted approval for the establishment of a branch thereof in Plateau State University and the recognition of the union by an employer is obligatory,” SSANU argued.
SSANU, therefore, declared that it was “unnecessary and unconstitutional to have another registration with the university”.
But management, in a memo dated January 10, insisted on the registration of all trade unions so as to monitor their activities, and directed unions, intending to operate in the school, to forward a list of officials, constitution and current membership list, for registration with the university.
It followed that up by specifically requesting minutes of the meeting where SSANU members agreed to the 2 per deduction on their salaries as check-off dues, and finally ruled that only individuals could write, granting permission to management, to tamper with their wages.
The university management, meanwhile, frowned at the tone of letters to it, and direct text messages to the Vice Chancellor, which it considered disrespectful, and accused Timnan and the union of using unpalatable language.
Contacted, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Doknan Sheni, said that the suspension had nothing to do with SSANU or a desire to stiffle the union.