Teachers working with the staff school of the Obafemi Awolowo University ,ile ife and University of Ibadan in Oyo state today staged a protest condemning the Management of both Institutions for failing to comply with the industrial court ruling over their inclusion on the school’s payroll since 2016.
The teachers are also alleging that the Management is also defaulting in payment of about thirty months salary arrears stating that this has greatly affected the living conditions of their members.
The protesters who were supported by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Ibadan started from the campus gate and grounded movements in and out of the University before marching to the institution’s senate building were they expressed their grief.
Speaking for the protesting workers the National Vice president of SSANU, Southwest, Alfred Jimoh , accused the management of the both universities of disobeying the court order on the staff schools, as well as owing salaries of members.
He said, “the protest was to make our demands known to the world. The University managements has refused to obey the industrial court where the court held that staff school teachers like other workers in the University should be returned to the school payroll. They are also owing teachers 13 months salaries in OAU. Even with the modulated salaries being paid it has not been paid as and when due. Also The vice chancellor is also planning to privatise the staff school which we will not condone. in University of Ibadan The UI said it was waiting for a circular from the government before complying. The University of Ibadan was also paying 75 percentage which they last paid in March and they expect them to go to class.”
He added that though the national leadership of the two national unions was yet to instruct the teachers to embark on strike, teachers would boycott classes until their demands are met.
Jimoh urged president Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the full reinstatement of members of staff schools as well as their full payment of their salary arrears.
The school’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olanrewaju however said the institution was never a party to the court ruling.
According to him, the defendants in the ruling being referred to were National Commission of Salaries and Wages, Ministry of Education.
He said, “If you are not a party to a suit the judgement should not be of concern to you. Those involved in the case were Ministry of the education, National Commission for salaries and wages. OAU was not written in the judgment. What they should have done is to go Abuja to protest. The management of the institution will only do whatever the ministry of education orders.”
He added that the he wasn’t aware of the management owing the staff school teachers
He noted that what he was aware of was the decision of the management which was in accordance with the directives of the ministry of education to pay them the equivalent of primary school teachers across the country and not that they be absorbed into the institutions payroll.
