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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has directed its members nationwide to resume work following the end of their two-week strike.
The union had embarked on the strike as a warning and a prelude to a possible indefinite industrial action. However, in a statement signed by its President, Kpanja Shamnah, ASUP announced that members are to return to their duties on Monday, December 16.
According to reports, the decision to call off the strike came after the union reached a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment during a conciliation meeting held on December 9.
The statement read: “Members of the Union and indeed the general public may recall that our Union declared a 2-week definite strike effective 2nd December 2024 over the inability of government through its agencies to execute nine items in the work plan jointly developed with our Union to resolve some pending issues of trade dispute.
“You will also recall that a strike was declared to serve as a warning and precursor to an indefinite strike.
“Within the period of the strike, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment convened a conciliation meeting between our Union and the government on the 9th of December 2024, to resolve the dispute and save the sector from the impending indefinite strike.
“At the meeting, a new memorandum of understanding was signed with a caveat that another meeting will be held on 23rd January 2025 to assess compliance by parties as well as to address other issues.
“After this meeting, the Union’s National Executive Council will meet to review the situation.
“In view of this development, all members of the Union are directed to resume duties from Monday 16th December 2024.
“While we thank and commend our members for their commitment and resilience, it is our Union’s expected hope that the government will diligently work to ensure a fruitful resolution of the issues in dispute.”
Kungiyar Malaman kwalejin Fasaha (ASUP), reshen jihar Kano, ta tsunduma yajin aikin gargadi na makonni biyu.
Kungiyar ta fara yajin aikin a ranar 2 ga Disamba, 2024 domin nuna rashin jin dadinsu kan yadda gwamnatin tarayya ta ki biyan bukatunsu.
Aniyar tafiya yajin aikin na kunshe a cikin sanarwa da sakataren yada labarai na kungiyar, Babangida Sa’adu, ya sanyawa hannu, kuma aka raba ga manema labarai a Kano.
Kungiyar ta fara yajin aikin ne bayan amincewar taron kasa da ya gudana tsakanin kwalejin fasaha 112 a Abuja a ranar 28 ga Nuwamba, 2024.
Ko a baya, ASUP ta ba gwamnatin tarayya da sauran hukumomi wa’adin kwanaki 15 domin duba matsalolin da ke damun kwalejin.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has deferred its nationwide industrial action till December 2nd, 2024, to allow the Federal Government meet its outstanding demands.
Recall that ASUP had on 7th of October 2024 issued a two weeks ultimatum to government asking it to meet the existing demands some of which bordered on alleged intrusion of the NBTE into the statutory responsibilities of Academic Boards of Polytechnics on matters of HND students’ admission.
Others include revitalization of infrastructure in the sector through the NEEDS ASSESSMENT intervention, non-implementation of promotion in state institutions, payment of all outstanding promotion arrears and payment of outstanding arrears of 25%/35% salary review from January 2023 to December 2023 in Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology.
In a statement confirming the new date for the proposed strike issued on Saturday, ASUP noted that it had issued the mandatory 15 days ultimatum to the proprietors of public polytechnics and colleges of technology arising from a review of the state of affairs in the sector during the 111th meeting of the National Executive Council of the Union.
It explained that the ultimatum issued on the 7th of October, 2024 contained 11 demands from the Union.
“Following the ultimatum, a resolution meeting of all stakeholders in the sector was convened by the Federal Ministry of Education with a view to resolving the contentious issues on the 23rd of October, 2024 in Abuja.
“Resolutions and an action plan was developed during the meeting to resolve the issues which cover instances of abuse of extant laws, regulations and statutes by some Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics, items of welfare of academic staff in the sector.
” Others are intrusion of the NBTE into the statutory responsibilities of Academic Boards of Polytechnics on matters of HND students’ admission, revitalization of infrastructure in the sector through the NEEDS ASSESSMENT intervention, non implementation of promotion in state institutions, payment of all outstanding promotion arrears, payment of outstanding arrears of 25%/35% salary review from January 2023 to December 2023 in Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology.
“The implementation of the salary review in state institutions, payment of outstanding arrears of CONTISS 15 migration for lower cadres, sustenance of the payment of 7% Peculiar Academic Allowance post IPPIS exit, renegotiation of the FGN/ASUP agreement of 2010 and the payment of all outstanding third party deductions.
“The Union’s NEC therefore met again on an emergency note on the 24th of October 2024 to review the action plan as proposed in the meeting with the stakeholders and determine the next steps in its struggle for the survival of Polytechnic Education in the country.
“After exhaustive deliberations, the Union resolved to defer its proposed industrial action to the 2nd of December, 2024. The decision was taken to gauge the government’s commitment to implementing the action plan as agreed at the meeting of 23rd October, 2024.
“It is therefore the expectation of our Union that government will take advantage of the period to show commitment by diligently executing the action plan on each of the eleven items of dispute or risk a comprehensive withdrawal of service by academic staff in the Nigeria Polytechnic System,” ASUP noted.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement agreements aimed at improving members’ working conditions or face nationwide industrial action.
ASUP Chairman of the Kaduna Polytechnic Chapter, Abubakar Abdullahi, while speaking at a news briefing in Kaduna, informed union members of the resolutions reached during the Union’s 111th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held on October 6, 2024, in Abuja.
The union said the 15-day period commenced on October 7, 2024, and at the expiration of the ultimatum, the NEC will reconvene to decide on a specific course of action.
Abdullahi expressed disappointment over the Federal Government’s slow progress and seeming indifferent approach to addressing the agreements reached with ASUP.
Members across the nation shared significant concern regarding the Federal Government’s inaction, with some agreements dating back to 2010.
“It is important to emphasize, for the public’s awareness, that these agreements are intended to improve working conditions within our institutions and create a more conducive environment for teaching, learning, skill acquisition, and research.”
“It is only after exhausting nearly all avenues for amicable resolution that the NEC of our Union has decided to issue a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government. This 15-day period commenced on October 7, 2024.
“The Union has directed all its local chapters and zones to prepare for protests, media campaigns, and other peaceful actions during this period while hoping that the Federal Government will utilize the 15-day window to address the issues and prevent a potential shutdown of all polytechnics across the nation,” he said.
He stated that the decision is a direct result of a review of the government’s response, as indicated by the Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and the Governing Councils of various polytechnics regarding the Union’s engagements.
Specifically, the 111th NEC resolved to demand an immediate review and reversal of all decisions made by the Government, NBTE, or Governing Councils that are inconsistent with the provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act (Amended) 2019.
Other demands include the release and final resolution of the decades-long CONTISS-15 migration arrears for lower cadre staff, the recommencement and completion of the ASUP versus Federal Government 2010 agreement renegotiation process, and the immediate release of the reviewed conditions of service for the polytechnic sector, among others.
He called for the immediate implementation of promotions and payment of all accrued promotion arrears in state-owned institutions, as well as the release of outstanding promotion arrears in federal institutions and colleges of education.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has put its members nationwide on red alert as the 15-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government and its relevant agencies lapses on Friday.
The Zone C Coordinator of ASUP, Comrade Mosopa Adekunle Nurudeen, made this known during a press briefing at Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo, on Monday.
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He said the National Executive Council of ASUP would soon convene a meeting in accordance with the relevant portions of the labor law to decide the next course of action.
Nurudeen, who decried the government’s insensitivity to the plight of ASUP members nationwide, noted that the government’s attitude toward polytechnic education is worrisome.
He also criticized the non-implementation of the resolutions reached at the tripartite meeting convened by the Federal Ministry of Education between the National Board of Technical Education and ASUP.
Details to follow.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in Auchi Polytechnic says it has suspended the proposed industrial action over the new scheme of service.
The chapter chairman, Mr Bamidele Osamudiamen, stated this at an emergency congress of the union in Auchi yesterday.
He said the suspension was in accordance with the directive by the national body of the union.
He said the decision was taken by the national body followed an agreement by the federal government to suspend the implementation of the new scheme of service that the union had found wanting.
It would be recalled that the Auchi Polytechnic chapter of ASUP had given a 15-day ultimatum for the government to suspend the scheme of service.
The chapter also embarked on a series of protests to register this displeasure over the contentious document.
Osamudiamen had condemned the document for promoting what he described as discriminatory practices favouring university degree holders over HND holders in the country.
He said; “The unfair career progression guide in the sector particularly as it affects the teaching and non-teaching staff cadres is a recipe for crises as such is not reflective of the remuneration accruing to the cadres.
“The contentious document curiously, unjustifiably and unacceptably elongates the career progression steps of the Lecturer cadre from a 7 step to a 9 step career development cadre and at the same time added an extra year for promotion to the final two levels.
“This implies that anyone on the lecturer cadre will now endure a minimum of 26 years from the base to the highest level.
“This is not acceptable particularly in view of the fact that this deviates from the norm in other subsectors and that the retirement age in the sector remains unchanged.
“We are prepared for industrial action if the government fails to take the necessary steps to revert this scheme and we are prepared for it.”