Yesterday, Wednesday, 5th January, workers of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, commenced an indefinite strike over alleged unpaid salary arrears for 13 months.
This is coming after the management of the school last Monday suspended the activities of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) in the institution.
The workers, who protested at the gate of the institution, carried placards with various inscriptions such as: ‘Pay our 13-month salary’; ‘Akeredolu, come to our aide’; ‘Ogundahunsi must go’; Our members are suffering and dying, among others, chanting solidarity songs to drive home their demand.
They vowed that they will not resume work until their demands are met by the government.
According to the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics of the institution, Mr. Chris Olowolade:
“They have written to the council, and we have written to the government, all to no avail. We are not fighting anybody but they should pay us our salary.
“The management’s proscription of ASUP, SANNIP, and NASU is illegal. They owe us 13 months’ salary. They didn’t pay this salary and are not making any effort to pay the salary. Because of that, we resumed the strike yesterday, and immediately we sent our communique to them, they issue a letter that unions on campus have been suspended. This is nonsensical. We are not under the regulations of the institution.
“The government used to give us subventions which are to be added to our IGR by the management of the institution, but over three years, they said the IGR is dwindling, but up till today, they don’t have a solution to make sure that the IGR is increased.”
The chairman insisted that the situation has gone of control, as time was no longer on their side, hence the protest and industrial action.
“The management decided to demote staff without doing anything and promoted their allies. They also recruited their families through the backdoor-no advertisement, no interview. This is another illegality. Their actions were challenged in court. There is a judgment to that effect, but they didn’t obey the court judgment.”
Also, the Chairman of Non-Academic Staff Union of the institution, Mr. Adebayo Obayoriade, said the union has used every means at its disposal to resolve the impasse, but to no avail as the other party was not responding positively.
While reacting, the Rector of the polytechnic, Mr. Gani Ogundahunsi, assured everyone that the current face-off would soon be resolved.
He said the polytechnic had a history of backlog of salary before the present administration came on board with series of interventions, which he said have brought peace and unequaled development to the school.
The rector who lamented the economic constraints in the country as responsible for the pitiable financial situation of the institution, enjoined the workers to show more understanding as the state government has begun process of paying their salary.
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