Staffers of University of Uyo branch of Joint Action Committee (JAC), Akwa Ibom State have joined their counterparts in Nigeria on a 14-day warning strike over alleged indiscriminate deductions of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The unions are Senior Staff Association Of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU.
Non-Academic Staffers of universities nationwide proceeded on a 14-day warning strike from Monday, October 5, over the inconsistencies of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, non-payment of arrears of national minimum wage, non-payment of Earned Allowances among others.
SSANU in a statement issued by its President, Comrade Samson Ugwoke explained that the warning strike was a prelude to a full-blown, total and indefinite industrial action if their grievances were not addressed by the government.
Chairperson of JAC, UNIUYO, Comrade Anietie Atai, spoke to journalists, attributed this to the lopsidedness in IPPIS resulting in excessive and unwarranted shortages, inconsistencies, among other unaddressed issues in the salary system by the Federal Government.
According to her, the decision to down tools in the interim was taken at a joint congress of SSANU and NASU in a bid to press home their demands.
Besides, she expressed displeasure at the non-payment of the new minimum wage arrears to the staff, even though other institutions had been paid, even as she maintained that they have not received earned allowances and its arrears, among other emoluments.
Atai said, “The strike is occasioned by the lopsided deductions of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) resulting in excessive and unwarranted shortages, inconsistencies and other unaddressed issues in the salary system by the Federal Government, the Union members angered with the inequitable treatment, rose to commence the warning strike from October 05 to October 19, 2020.
“Congress further expressed dismay over the non-payment of the new minimum wage arrears to her members when all other institutions had been paid since in a system which injustice is ill-spoken of.
“Other contentious issues are; non-payment of Earned Allowances and its arrears; non-payment of retirement benefits to out-gone members; lack of seriousness and delays by the government in the renegotiation of the2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements; usurpation of the headship of non-teaching units by academic staff; neglect and poor funding of Universities, and corruption in the university system and non-constitution of visitation panels for the universities in line with the laws.
“Members said the strike had become unavoidable because of the Federal Government’s relaxed and unconcerned attitude to the educational system in the country which has deepened the rot in the system.
Congress, therefore, declared that none of its members will be at duty post from October 05 to 19, 2020 as a warning to compel the Federal Government to look at the issues in contention.”
“This warning strike is a prelude to impending full-blown strike if the Federal Government remains adamant to the demand.”
