The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has declared a two weeks strike starting from May 16, 2022.
In a statement signed by its national president, Anderson Ezeibe, and titled, ‘Status Update of the ASUP/Federal Government of Nigeria Engagement; and Resolutions of the Emergency National Executive Council Meeting of ASUP Held on the 11th Of May, 2022,’ the union stated “suspended its industrial action declared on the 6th of April 2021 on the 10th of June, 2021, following the signing of a Memorandum of Action with the government. The signed MoA contained a clear path to sustainable resolution of the issues in dispute with time lines attached to each of the items in dispute.”
The union stated that it suspended the industrial action for a period of three months “to enable the government conclude processes already initiated in the direction of fulfilment of the items in the MoA which are process led.”
The union alleged that after nine months of suspending its strike, it met to evaluate the government’s response to the MoA, where it gave the FG a one-month ultimatum, the FG did not honour its (the FG’s) agreement with the union.
“Nine months after the suspension of the industrial action and six months after the expiration of the three-month period of suspension, our Union’s NEC met in its 102nd meeting in Federal Polytechnic Mubi and after reviewing the report of the implementation of the MoA, resolved to issue a 1 month ultimatum to the government effective 4th April, 2022 to address the outstanding items in the
MoA and other emergent issues or face the reality of another trade dispute with our Union.
“Our Union’s ultimatum expired on the 4th of May, 2022 and as is the norm, the Union’s NEC reconvened today, 11th of May, 2022 to review the response of the government to the ultimatum, particularly as it affects relevant agencies/functionaries of government,” the statement partly read.
The union also said that the government did not make attempts at conciliation despite the ultimatum given. It also stated that it stayed away from a May 9 meeting called by the Minister of Education, noting that the meeting failed to meet basic requirements for collective bargaining.
“Within the period of the ultimatum, the Union met with the National Board for Technical Education to review the grievances with a view to resolution. Another meeting fixed at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Education (after the 2 expiration of the ultimatum) failed to meet basic requirements for collective bargaining. Our Union stayed away from the meeting as it was not structured to address the issues in dispute. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment only acknowledged receipt of the union’s ultimatum and made no attempts at conciliation,” the statement read in part.
