Lecturers in tertiary institutions owned by the Plateau government have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries.
The lecturers, under the aegis of the Joint Union of Academic Staff of the Plateau-Owned Tertiary Institutions (JUASPTI), also accused the state government of failing to honour agreements reached with the union.
Mr Lawam Deban, JUASPTI Chairman, issued the threat in a press conference on Friday in Jos.
“If government fails to meet our demands, the union will declare an indefinite strike on Dec. 31.
”We signed an agreement with goverment on Aug. 23, which led to the suspension of the strike we started on June 17.
”Unfortunately, goverment has failed to meet its obligation in the areas of non-implementation of promotion arrears from 2021 to 2022.
“It has also failed in the area of non-implementation of third party deduction from August to date, and non-regular payment of salaries,” he claimed.
Deban said that the union had written two letters to the state government dated Nov. 10 and Dec. 5, respectively, without any positive response.
”Worried by the non-regular payment of salaries, we wrote goverment two different letters where we clearly stated that we will not be able to guarantee industrial harmony should it fail to comply to the agreement.
”But, it is obvious that the state goverment does not want to toe the line of honour.
“As a union, we have given it enough consideration and respect, but it has failed to reciprocate by reneging on some aspects of the agreement.
”So, we shall be left with no option than to withdraw our services if the government fails to honour the Aug. 23 agreement before Dec. 31,” he said. (NAN)
