Ado Poly workers begin indefinite strike over salary

Workers of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti have commenced indefinite strike over alleged de-migration of workers from their salary scales and other welfare issues.The workers, under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), said the decision followed the management’s refusal to address their demands and the expiration of the series of ultimatums.

Chairmen of the three unions, Mr Tunji Owoeye (ASUP), Dr Oluwole Ayeni (SSANIP) and Mr Charles Daudu (NASU), who addressed the workers at a joint rally after their different congresses yesterday, called on the Federal Government to set up a fresh inter-ministerial panel to look into their grievances.

According to them, the management de-migrated workers from CONTISS 8 to CONTISS 7, thus allegedly shortchanging workers as against what obtained in other federal polytechnics.

They also accused the management of refusal to comply with the implementation and payment of CONTISS 15 as directed by the then Minister of Education.

The unions, which alleged that the workers had been shortchanged to the tune of N200 million, also accused the management of tampering with cooperative deductions.

But the Rector, Dr Theresa Akande, who said the unions had not communicated with the management on the purported industrial action, said the management had been meeting with the unions on the resolution of their grouse.

According to her, all the issues raised by the unions are not new, saying: “These were issues the Federal Government set up a Presidential Panel over.

“That I am still here with all their allegations shows that there are no substances in them. The National Board for Technical Education and the Federal Ministry of Education are looking into the migration issue because it is not a local issue. It affects all federal polytechnics,” the rector said.