The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has disclosed that it will still go ahead with the planned nationwide strike tomorrow December 12th, 2018. This was made known by the National President of the union, Usman Dutse,during an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Mr Dutse said the strike became necessary following the failure of the federal government to implement the 2009 and 2017 agreements reached with the union.
According to him, we are commencing our strike tomorrow as scheduled. Everything is set and there is no going back. He mentioned that there is an invitation for a meeting on December 17, but the union will still commence the strike on Wednesday.
“I don’t know what will happen at the meeting or what they have decided, but until we meet with them, we cannot predict. ”I don’t know what they plan to present until we meet with them,” he said.
Mr Duste said the strike would be comprehensive and total, until all issues raised were adequately addressed by the government adding that all members have been issued a notice to comply and down tools by midnight of December 12. and there would be no academic activities in all the polytechnics until further notice.
He listed the demands of the union to include non-implementation of Need Assessment reports of 2014 as agreed with the minister at the meeting of October 2017.
Renegotiation in the union’s 2010 agreement; non-release of arrears of CONTISS 15 migration for the lower cadre; non-release of arrears of promotions and shortfalls in personnel releases as well as non-payment of allowances.
Other agitations are non-payment of salaries in many state-owned polytechnics, non-payment of union check off dues, pension deductions and other statutory deductions from staff salaries to the appropriate bodies, continue victimisation of union officers.