The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is beginning an indefinite strike on Monday, November 13, 2017.
Before now, ASUP had, during its 89th National Executive Council meeting held at Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, from October 2-6, given Federal Government an ultimatum to have commenced the strike with effect from October 9. However, the strike did not hold.
The proposed industrial action follows the failure of the Federal Government to implement all the agreements it entered with the union since 2016.
Usman Dutse, ASUP President and Kabiru Yunusa, Zone A Coordinator, explained that the decision was the outcome of the National Executive Council meeting of ASUP which held on Saturday at Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State.
Briefing journalists after the emergency meeting, the union leaders noted that the union had given government sufficient time to implement all agreements, saying that they had no choice than to embark on an indefinite strike after the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued earlier.
“Despite the long period given to the government to address some of the issues it had raised, government did not consider it necessary to address the demands for improved funding of polytechnic education in the country,” they lamented.
Some of the demands, according to him, include non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report and shortfalls in personnel releases and withdrawal of allowances, non-passage of the amended bill of the Polytechnic Act, infractions in the appointment of rectors, as well as improving the conditions of state-owned institutions among other issues.
