By Tayo- Kehinde Omowunmi
The academic staff unions In Oyo state tertiary institutions commenced an indefinite strike yesterday 25th August 2015 over unpaid salary. The union with the support of the Joint Action Forum of Academic Staffs (JAFAS) after a meeting at The Polytechnic Ibadan said the last time her members received salary was since February 2015. The union has also promised to this effect that if the government did not call them for negotiation within the next 14 days, they will have no choice than to continue the strike.
In the same vein, the list of the affected tertiary institutions are: The Association of Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) under which we have: The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Ibarapa Polytechnic Eruwa and College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) where we have College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora and Emmanuel Alayande College of Education Oyo.
In reference to this situation, Kelani Ajadi a representative of the association said this immediate strike was not the first, he said there had been three days warning strike few months back in each tertiary institutions gave the management a week for negotiation which at the long run proved to no avail.
He went further to say that the issue of unpaid salary has caused the loss of six of their members due to the fact they were unable to pay for better treatment of their health and also to take care of their family. He lamented that they will not continue to watch till it gets to the stage where there is mass burial amongst members as some of the members are currently hospitalized.
Kelani employs that the government to answer them as they really mean every bit to continue the strike which will serve as delay to the students who had paid their tuition and won’t be getting the proper treatment. Also Olawumi Muyiwa from Oke-Ogun Polytechnic said since the struggle started, the government had not invited them to show any iota of sympathy.
Conclusively the COEASU Chairman Kinglsey Oke stated that it has been a difficult period since February. He said some members find it difficult to pay rent, their children’s fees including other bills. They require speedy response from the Oyo State government.
