PLASU takes steps to avoid low morale as unions, management disagree

Non-teaching personnel of Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, are said to be worried over the persistent failure of the management to meet some of their demands including payment of allowances. The workers are under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of […]

Non-teaching personnel of Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, are said to be worried over the persistent failure of the management to meet some of their demands including payment of allowances.

The workers are under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

The aggrieved workers recently staged a protest over what they called ‘ill treatment by the management.’ Their grievances included nonpayment of allowances and hijack of pension fund, among others.

Those who took part in the protest appeared in black attire, walked around the university compound, while chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with different inscriptions.

Speaking during the protest, SSANU Chairman Timnan Rimdap, said his colleagues would embark on an indefinite strike action if their demands were not met in the ‘shortest possible time,’ adding that the declaration of the strike was in accord with NASU and JAC.

He said the plan to victimize those who participated in the protest would be resisted.

“Information has reached us that some of our members are about to be victimized by their heads for participating in this protest. This is the type of anti-labour attitude the union frowns against and we shall resist it with all we’ve got,” the SSANU chairman said.

Rimdap said the retirement benefits of workers were being poorly handled and their gratuities amounting to millions of naira could not be traced.

He called on the Visitor, Governor Simon Lalong, the Pro Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Professor Attahiru Jega and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Yohana Izam, to do the needful to avert the impending strike action.

In his remarks, the NASU and JAC chairman, Jok Rwang Pam, said professional accountants were being converted to the executive cadre and that HND holders were discriminated upon.

He said the development was ‘condemnable,’ adding that the retirement age of those involved had also been reduced from 65 to 60 years and their annual leave from 42 to 30 days.

When contacted, however, PLASU Public Relations Officer (PRO), John Agams, said the allegation of victimization of non-teaching staff who participated in the protest was not true and there was no such plan.

He said the authorities want peace and industrial harmony in the university, noting that the institution has gone through hard times and does not wish to return back to those days.

But failure to reach agreement with the authorities led to the fall in morale of the workers and eventually, an indefinite strike for the unions to press for better pay and working conditions.

The VC was allegedly notified of the impending strike in advance.

The unions said the decision to embark on the strike was taken at the JAC congress in Jos, and that the strike became necessary due to failure of management to honour its demands at the appointed time.

“The Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU had, in recent times, issued several ultimatums to management to address its legitimate demands. These demands include; implementation and payment of arrears of earned allowances to our members and payment of arrears of the staff gratuity.

“Others are; constitution of a gratuity management board to manage the funds and conduct a comprehensive staff audit to guarantee proper placement for our members as well as inclusion of NASU and SSANU in the composition of the appointment and promotion committee, disciplinary committee, and committees constituted to amend the university’s law, conditions and scheme of service,” the strike notice read in part.

In a reaction, the management ordered the striking non-teaching staff to return to work and also suspended the activities of SSANU with immediate effect. This was contained in a statement by PLASU PRO, Agams.

The statement read: “Arising from its special meeting held on Monday 29th July 2019, the management has expressed great displeasure over the absence of some non-teaching staff from duty on account of a purported strike action declared by a faction of Joint Action Committee JAC. For the avoidance of doubt, a valid declaration of trade dispute and/or strike action in the university can only be done by registered unions (ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT).

“In view of the foregoing, all staff that absented themselves from duty on the 29th July 2019 should resume work immediately. Management wishes to use this medium to reiterate its earlier planned meeting with the unions scheduled for Tuesday 30th July 2019 as earlier indicated in the invitation letters issued to the respective unions.

“Similarly, in view of the factionalisation of the leadership and membership in SSANU, PLASU branch which has raised attendant security concerns, management has approved the suspension of SSANU activities on campus forthwith pending the outcome of its interaction with the national leadership of the union being planned to hold on Friday 16th August 2019.

“Management extends its appreciation to all staff of the university for their understanding of the efforts that management is putting on ground to ensure that staff welfare issues are addressed, and for the maintenance of peace and tranquility on campus for the benefit of both staff and students,” the statement said.

However, SSANU in a letter rejected the claim of factionalisation of its leadership by the management, saying the leadership only recognizes the executive council led by Comrade Timnan Rimdap as chairman.

The letter was addressed to PLASU Registrar and signed by SSANU Senior Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Kingsley Okayi.

The letter stressed that the strike action embarked upon by its members on 29th July, 2019 was legal and approved by the union leadership, adding that the suspension of the union’s activities in PLASU was rejected and viewed as a design to deny the union members their constitutional right of association as enshrined in the constitution.

As the disagreement between the unions and the school management rages on, academic activities have been affected as the duties of the striking staff could not be replaced. These included cleaners, generator and water operators, drivers, security guards among others.