ASUP Threatens Strike Over Salary Arrears

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has threatened to embark on a strike from April 6.

ASUP said the strike was aimed at ensuring unresolved issues with the Federal Government and some states.

The body issued the warning in a communique at the end of its 99th National Executive Council meeting on Friday, in Katsina State, NAN reports.

In the communique signed by its President, Anderson Ezeibe, ASUP said, the decision was to draw the government’s attention to the need to release the 10 months arrears of the new minimum wage, owed its members in federal polytechnics.

The association also demanded that state governments pay up arrears of the new minimum wage owed state polytechnic lecturers.

“There is the need to implement the contents of the NEEDS Assessment report of 2014 in public polytechnics and similar institutions.

“’Another issue also is the reconstitution of Governing Councils in all federal polytechnics and some state-owned polytechnics where such is yet to be constituted.

“Others are the full implementation of the provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, as well as its domestication in Adamawa, Kano, Sokoto, Abia, Niger and other affected states,” it said.

ASUP further called for the release of salaries owed staff in Abia, Ogun, Osun, Benue, Plateau, Edo and Cross River, as well as the implementation of full salary payments in Sokoto, Kaduna, Adamawa and others.

The group also appealed to the government to withdraw the letter containing unsubstantiated claims of PAYE tax liabilities in 19 federal polytechnics.

The communique also urged Kano and Kaduna governments, to implement the 65 years retirement age for academic staff in their tertiary institutions.