Poly lecturers issue 21-day strike notice

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have threatened to shut down the nation’s polytechnics anytime soon.

They have warned the government to order the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to stop intimidating its members into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform when their emoluments have not been secured.

The union is also accusing the government of not keeping faith with the memorandum of settlements signed with the union in 2017.

Its National President Usman Dutse said in a statement in Abuja that after efforts to make the government implement its memorandum of settlement to no avail, they have no option than to issue a 21-day ultimatum beginning from October 2.

Key issues in the dispute between the government and the union are the non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment report of 2014; non-release of promotion arrears of members as well as persistent shortfalls in the personnel releases of Federal Polytechnics since 2016.

Others include non-payment of negotiated allowances in polytechnics; non-payment of salaries and other staff entitlements in many state-owned institutions; non-release of CONTISS 15 migration arrears; infractions in the appointment process of rectors in polytechnics; non-passage of the amendment bill of the Polytechnics Act; and victimisation of union officers.

Dutse said: “Our union has been on the discussion table with officials of IPPIS as well as NBTE on modalities for a smooth and safe enrollment of members into the IPPIS platform.

“The last meeting which took place in March 2018 was postponed to enable the renegotiation committee conclude its assignment and provide the needed security in the capture of the totality of members’ emoluments.

“However, in an apparent display of betrayal, the NBTE which has refused to commit to the successful conclusion of the renegotiation process is employing underhand strategies to force our members into the platform with or without our emoluments secured.

“We are appalled that the NBTE had kick-started this new arm-twisting regime by convening a meeting with the IPPIS and the managements of polytechnics without the unions, where they resolved to force our members into the platform.” - Daily Post