Polytechnics, Colleges of Education Workers Alert FG on Plans to Resume Strike

Workers in the nation’s polytechnics and Colleges of Education have alerted the federal government of plans to resume its suspended strike following government refusal to resolve the issues that led to the eight-month-long strike it called off recently.

The General Secretary of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Mr. Peters Adeyemi, who hinted of a looming industrial action at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union in Ilorin, Kwara State, lamented that government had not taken any concrete action to resolve the issues of industrial dispute 10 weeks after the suspension of the industrial action.

The eight-month strike embarked upon by the workers in Polytechnics and Colleges of Education was suspended on July 21 this year following the intervention by the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekaru.

Adeyemi said the strike was suspended in order to give the government a 90-day moratorium to enable it resolve the issues of the industrial dispute but regretted that nothing has happened in the last 10 weeks.

Adeyemi, who stated that members were disturbed by the retrogressive action of government, warned that if nothing is done at the expiration of the 90 days, members might be forced to resume the strike.

However, he said the decision to resume strike would be jointly taken by all the unions in these institutions.

He said the union had written to government on the need to resolve the labour issues in these institutions, noting that the unions in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education would meet to take a joint position on the issue.

“You are aware that 10 weeks have gone and nothing has happened. At the end of 12 weeks if nothing happens we will go back to our members and other unions to take a position on the issue.

“We are going to deliberate on this issue in our NEC meeting after which we will communicate to our members and other unions. Do not forget that it is not a struggle of NASU alone as there are other unions involved and we must join position on this issue,” he said.

Speaking also, President of NASU, Mrs. Ladi Iliya, said it was imperative for government to act speedily in order to avert the resumption of the suspended strike, adding that workers are already warming up for another round of industrial action.

She noted that in the polytechnics where CONTISS15 migration had been implemented, some management had stopped the payment under the pretense that the federal government has not provided the needed funds for its implementation.

“We are using this opportunity to call on the Education Minister to accelerate action in resolving the issues that provoked the strikes. It is imperative for government to act speedily in order to avert the resumption of the suspended strike,” she added.

She further called for government to constitute negotiating teams to renegotiate the 2009 FGN/NASU agreements for polytechnics and Colleges of Education as provided in the relevant sections of the agreements.

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