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The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of trade unions of tertiary institutions owned by Kogi State government has assured government of her readiness to suspend her 4-month old strike action as soon as their reviewed demands are met.
This position was contained in a communique issued at the close of the 12th General meeting of JAC, yesterday.
According to JAC, the trade unions has graciously contracted its thirty-one (31) collective demands to five (5) irreducible demands. This action is geared towards suspension of the ongoing strike.
The demands are;
“The Visitor to our schools (Governor) should approve and implement the screening reports of the Governor Councils in its entirety, because, Members of our Governing Councils are people of integrity who have carved niches for themselves in their endeavours. Therefore, only their screening list is acceptable to JAC and any other list from anywhere shall be rejected.
“Salaries of our Members who are cleared, uncleared and omitted should be paid without further delays.
Government should elucidate its actions on the peculiar needs of each Tertiary institutions submitted by the Governing Councils.
“Government should urgently honour the Joint Resolution reached by the representatives of the Government and JAC on 24th March, 2017 which include reversal of the new tax rates and refund of January, 2017 excess tax to tertiary institutions.
“Government should give definite date for the refund of excess tax to Kogi State University, Anyigba and Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa.
JAC extends its appreciation to the Governing Council members of tertiary institutions owned by Kogi State for their genuine efforts to resolve the ongoing industrial strike.
The body frowned at the directive of government to heads of tertiary institutions to re-open schools on the 5th June, 2017.
“JAC empathizes with our students who have been at home for this long. They should be reminded that, JAC’s struggle is to save the soul of our educational system. And we hope that, at the end of this painful industrial strike, tertiary institutions owned by Kogi state will be better positioned to turn out qualified graduates.
“There are evil machinations from some quarters to incite students against our members on resumption, let it be clear to those behind this plot that, “whatever comes around, goes around”.
“JAC is disappointed with Government’s decision to prematurely retire our non-teaching members; this is an outright violation of the extant Law of 65 years retirement age for staff of tertiary institutions.
“The fate of those employed in 2015/2016 is still unknown, despite convincing reasons put forward by Heads of institutions; employments in tertiary institutions is based on needs.
“The recent lists released on 31st May, 2017 and 1st June, 2017 is a complete setback to any ongoing dialogue. Our Members who had been on the ‘cleared’ list since the onset of the protracted staff screening exercise are now being move to the ‘uncleared’ list. This unwholesome act is another move by the “Czars” in this government to destroy the gains made from the screening exercise”, the communique reads.
However, JAC maintained that it cannot be intimidated and coerced to resume work on the 5th June, 2017. The body advised Kogi government to do the needful and bring this impasse to an end.
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