2 hours ago
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Teaching and non-teaching staff of Oyo state-owned tertiary institutions Monday embarked on indefinite strike over unpaid wage increments and other demands.
A statement by the chairman and secretary of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Oyo State-Owned Tertiary Institutions, Dr Kola Lawal and Akeem Abiola, said the decision to embark on strike was reached after extensive deliberation and consultations.
The tertiary institutions bodies comprising 15 unions.
The union said the strike was as a result of the inability of the management of the affected institutions to address the longstanding issues of non-implementation of the approved 25/35% salary increase and the new minimum wage for workers in the polytechnics and college of education sector.
The statement reads: “Despite numerous efforts, meetings, and notices since January 2024, including several meetings with the heads of institutions, representatives of Platinum Consultants, and the Commissioner for Education, no meaningful progress has been made towards resolving these issues.
“The unions had previously declared an industrial dispute on the new minimum wage and conducted a two-day warning strike on February 6 and 7, 2025, but these actions did not yield any positive results.
“The unions also granted a final three-day extension on March 5, 2025, to allow for resolution, particularly considering the recent accreditation exercises in some of the institutions. However, regrettably, no concrete action has been taken by the authorities to address the concerns raised by the unions.
“The inability to implement the approved wage structure, which has already been enjoyed by workers in federal institutions and some state-owned institutions like Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, has left members of the JAC in a dire situation.
“The economic realities in Nigeria, coupled with the rising costs of attending conferences and publishing academic papers necessary for career progression and program accreditation, have made it increasingly difficult for workers to meet their basic needs.
“The non-implementation of the approved salary increase and the new minimum wage has created significant financial strain on the workers, who are already grappling with the high cost of living and inflation in the country.
“This situation has not only affected the morale of the workers but has also undermined their ability to perform their duties effectively, thereby impacting the quality of education in the state-owned tertiary institutions.
“The JAC, representing both teaching and non-teaching staff across the five institutions, has unanimously resolved to embark on an indefinite strike to demand the immediate implementation of the approved new minimum wage, including the earlier approved 25/35% salary increase for workers in Oyo state-owned tertiary institutions, and an increase in the subvention released to the institutions to enable them meet their financial obligations, including the payment of the approved wage structure.”
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