- As SSANIP, NASU give college management 24-hour ultimatum
By Gabriel Dike
Academic activities at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) were crippled as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Thursday began an indefinite strike over unpaid allowances by the college management.
Two other sister unions, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) are waiting in the wind as they have issued the college management 24-hour ultimatum to meet their demand or face industrial action.
Following the indefinite strike, thousands of students were stranded in the classes as their lecturers stayed away from the lecture halls while admin staff early Thursday morning refused to attend to people.
The indefinite strike by ASUP would affect the forthcoming examinations for part and full time scheduled to commence this weekend (part-time) and for full-time in three weeks.
On Wednesday, students of the institution staged a protest against the closure of the hostels by the management with exams less than four weeks forcing the college management to agree to open it before the start of exams.
Daily Sun learnt that the students locked the gate and protested the non allocation of hostels to new and final students.
Daily Sun learnt that since Wednesday, ASUP directed its members to down tool on Thursday while SSANIP and NASU said it join ASUP after congress and the expiration of the 24-hour ultimatum. The two unions said its members would start the strike on Monday if the college management failed to refund the short change in July salary.
When our Correspondent visited the campus early morning on Thursday, the college staffers were outside in groups discussing the impending strike while the students watch from a distance and many left home because of the situation.
The three staff unions held a joint congress on Thursday at YABATECH Sports Complex and the chairmen read out their demands and they disclosed that the Rector, Dr. Margaret Ladipo could not produce any document to back the reduction in staff July salary.
The ASUP chairman, Prince Aromolaran Adeyemi said the decision to embark on the strike was taken at congress held July and the college management was informed. He disclosed that the industrial action has the blessing of its national body.
Aromolaran said when the unions kicked against the college management action, they were invited to a meeting by the rector and she could produce any circular mandating her to deduct staff allowance.
He stressed that with the strike his members would not be part of the forthcoming part time exam and full time stating ‘’already our members have withdrawn services (lecture) starting from Thursday until the college management refund the illegal deduction.’’
The SSANIP chairman, Mr. Omopariola Olorunmbe said the body has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the college management to refund the illegal deduction and that if by Friday, the rector did not comply, and his members would join the strike on Monday.
Mr. Olatunbosun Illesanmi , NASU chairman also issued an ultimatum to the management and directed his members to down tool if by tomorrow the refund has not been effected.
The YABATECH Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Oni was not seat and his office was locked while efforts to reach him on his two mobile lines proved abortive as it was switched off.
In the absence of the Rector, Dr. Ladipo, newsmen went to the offices of the two Deputy Rector (academic and admin) and were told by staff that they were not on seat nor could any body comment on the staff unions claim and the strike.