SHOULD the Oyo State government fail to pay the workers of its tertiary institutions their arrears of between 3 to 18 months, they may resume their industrial action on 14th January, 2019.
A statement received by OYO INSIGHT and signed by Comrade Afees Adeniyi, joint action council chairman, on behalf of chairmen of ASUP, COEASU, SSANIP, NASU and SSUCOEN in the Six Oyo State owned Tertiary Institutions, stated that the ultimatum begin today.
THE COMMUNIQUE OF JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE (JAC) OF ALL TRADE UNIONS (ASUP, COEASU, SSANIP, SSUCOEN AND NASU) IN THE SIX OYO STATE OWNED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MEETING HELD AT THE OKE-OGUN POLYTECHNIC, SAKI, ON FRIDAY 4TH JANUARY, 2019.
INTRODUCTION
The meeting reviewed JAC’s activities in the year 2018, especially the resolution that JAC will not hesitate to direct all the trade Unions in the Six Institutions to resume their suspended industrial action and protest should the Government failed to release adequate funds to defray the 3-18months owed backlog of arrears of salaries on or before the end of December, 2018 (the decision that was taken on the 20th December, 2018 at the meeting that was held at The Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa), since Oyo state government had failed (with the release of September, October and November 2018 Salaries/Subventions) to implement the Governor’s directive (that was given at the October 24, 2018 meeting that was held with the Governing Councils and Managements of each of the Six Institutions) for the commencement of payment of backlog of arrears of salaries (3-18months) owed between January 2016 and October 2018 with the September, 2018 salary/ subventions.
OBSERVATIONS
1. The meeting observed that as at today Friday, January 4th, 2019 the personnel subventions of September, October, November and December 2018 had been released without any provision for funds for the payments of the owed backlog of arrears of salaries in contravention of the directive given by the Governor- His Excellency, Senator (Dr) Abiola Ajimobi that payments of the outstanding arrears should commence with the September 2018 salaries/subventions at a meeting that he held with the Governing Councils and Managements on October 24th, 2018 ( as reported by Governing Councils and Managements of each of the institutions to the leaders of the Trade Unions in their respective institutions).
2. JAC also commends the Nigerian Labour Congress, Oyo State Chapter for her untiring efforts in ensuring that Government not only approves but also implements new National Minimum wage for Nigerian workers. We equally recognize and appreciate Nigeria Labour Congress, Oyo state chapter for her support in ensuring that the accrued arrears of workers in the six tertiary institutions owned by Oyo state government are defrayed without any further delay.
RESOLUTIONS
In the view of these observations, JAC resolved as follows:
(1) That, a seven (7) day ultimatum (from January 7 to 14, 2019) should be issued for the state government to pay all the arrears of between 3 and 18 months, failure of which ALL the workers in the six tertiary institutions will resume their suspended industrial action by 12:01pm of Monday, 14th January, 2019.
(2) That , all the Trade Unions that belong to JAC and are also affiliates of NLC are hereby directed to align themselves with any actions embarked upon by NLC Oyo state chapter, as regard the struggles for the actualization of National Minimum wage and payment of 3-18months accrued salary arrears of workers of the six tertiary institutions.
Signed
Comrade Afees Adeniyi
JAC Chairman (For Chairmen of ASUP, COEASU, SSANIP, NASU and SSUCOEN in the Six Oyo State Owned Tertiary Institutions)
