Fedpoly Ekowe unions threaten indefinite strike over salary shortfall
Labour unions at the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Bayelsa State have threatened to embark on indefinite strike at the end of June, 2019 over what they described as decrease in workers’ salaries in the institution. The three staff unions operating in the polytechnic – Academic Staff Unions of Polytechnics (ASUP), Non Academic Staff Unions (NASU) and […]
Labour unions at the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Bayelsa State have threatened to embark on indefinite strike at the end of June, 2019 over what they described as decrease in workers’ salaries in the institution.
The three staff unions operating in the polytechnic – Academic Staff Unions of Polytechnics (ASUP), Non Academic Staff Unions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANP) – issued the threat, yesterday, while speaking with journalists over the plight of workers in the institution.
The chairman of NASU in the institution, Mr Nelson Ebimie, said the workers are ready to embark on industrial action by ending of June, if the decrease in salaries is not corrected.
He said: “What you are seeing here, today, is a response to our pains and suffering over the years. The three unions are here to chart the way forward.We have suffered since 2015; today, we have resolved that if by the end of this month, June, we still experience shortfalls in our salaries, there will be a total shutdown of the system; that is indefinite strike action.
“The strike will begin with a peaceful protest along the major highway of the East-West road, that links Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states,” he said.
The ASUP chairman, Mr Adubazi Onimisi, and his SSANP counterpart, Mr Charles Willabo, said the industrial action is meant to drive home their demand.
They called on Federal Government, to facilitate a proper data capturing for the staff of the institution to resolve the matter and alleviate the suffering of workers.
According to them, “We have been informed of the shortfalls, what we are waiting now is the corrections, so, that we will know our actual salaries.
“What we are only asking are our salaries and nothing else; there should be a correction on the shortfall of our salaries,” they said.
The Polytechnic, Ekowe is located on the Bank of River Nun in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.