ASUP Strike: Nigeria polytechnic lecturers hold crucial meeting
Category: Campus News
There are indications the strike would not be called off on Thursday.
The national executives of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics,
ASUP, will meet on Thursday to review the ongoing strike and
negotiations between the union and the Federal Government.
ASUP has been on strike since October 4, 2013. The union’s demands
include the need for the constitution of the Governing Councils of
Federal Polytechnics, the migration of the lower cadres on the CONTISS
15 salary scale, the release of the White Paper on the Visitations to
Federal Polytechnics, and the need for the commencement of the Needs
Assessment of Nigerian Polytechnics.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that recent negotiations have been positive
between the leadership of ASUP and the federal government, and
Thursday’s meeting would enable the union’s negotiating team to brief
its executives.
A source among the leadership, who sought anonymity as he is not
permitted to speak on the matter, said the meeting, which will hold in
Abuja, will not call off the strike, but would review the negotiations.
The source, however, said the strike would be called off very soon, as the negotiations were more progressive.
When contacted, the ASUP National Publicity secretary, Clement Chirman, confirmed the meeting.
“We are meeting to appraise the level of negotiation and to also decide on the next line of action,” he said.
“We are meeting to appraise the level of negotiation and to also decide on the next line of action,” he said.
The intervention of the House of Representatives in the strike appears to have influenced the seeming progress in negotiations.
A meeting was held at the National Assembly on May 27 between
lecturers and the government delegation led by the Education Minister,
Nyesom Wike. The meeting was facilitated by the House Committee on
Education.
At the meeting, Mr. Wike told attendees that the major contention of
the workers, which is their salary arrears, was not being addressed
because a government agency had raised concerns.
He said the Salaries, Wages and Income Commission was opposed to the
payment of arrears owed the lecturers, saying it was not consulted
before the 2009 CONTISSS agreement between the lecturers and the federal
government was reached
“As the ministry made proposal to settle the lecturers’ arrears owed
since 2009 in installments, the commission wrote to kick against the
plan,” Mr. Wike said. “Government has been meeting on what to do, but
the commission opposes the proposal I made to pay the arrears in
installment.”
He also said a technical committee had been set up by the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Pius Anyim, to review crisis.
The lawmakers asked the committee to conclude its task in one week and
to consult the lecturers in its deliberations.
Mr. Wike then assured the union that the Federal Government would
resolve the on-going strike, saying it was deploying all means to reach
an agreement with the ASUP as well as striking lecturers of the colleges
of education, COEASU.
Source: Premium Times
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