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Gabriel Dike
The ongoing industrial action in four tertiary institutions in Lagos State entered day two as the union leaders vowed to sustain the tempo of their action.
Workers of the four state-owned institutions, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Epe on Monday embarked on indefinite strike to press home the payment of the new minimum wage.
On Tuesday, the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) of AOCOED branch joined the strike while two other unions boycotted the action.
As early as 6.00am, NASU executives locked the main gate of the institution. The union’s action disrupted academic and administrative activities on campus.
Returning students and staff of AOCOED were stranded outside the gate as vehicle owners caught in the strike parked their cars in front of the gate and along the expressway.
Daily Sun gathered that the Provost, Prof Bidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye and her entire management team stayed away from the institution to avoid what happened on Monday to her counterpart at LASU and MOCPED.
As at 11.30am, union leaders told Daily Sun that the Provost, Registrar, Bursar and other senior management staff did not report for duty because of NASU planned action was leaked to them.
NASU congress held on Monday, September 14, deliberated on the non-payment of the new minimum wage to staff in tertiary institutions in the state and ratified the directive of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for the four state-owned institutions to embark on strike.
The resolution which was signed by the chairman, Mr. Badmus Adesola and Secretary, Mr. Adelakun Segun, said members agreed to embark on strike from Tuesday, September 15, until the state government start the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Chairman of COEASU MOCPED chapter, Mr. Jamal Apena told Daily Sun while monitoring the strike on campus that the gate is still under lock and vowed to continue with the action until the state government pay tertiary institutions workers the minimum wage.
At LASPOTECH, there appears to be a division among the academic staff as some lecturers went to the classrooms while the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and NASU said they will continue with the industrial action.
The Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Lagos State Council, Mrs. Funmi Sessi on Tuesday paid a solidarity visit to NASU AOCOED members and thanked them for heeding the call of JAC to embark on strike over non payment of new minimum wage to workers of tertiary institutions in Lagos State.
Picture caption: Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Lagos State Council, Mrs. Funmi Sessi flanked AOCOED NASU executives addressing striking NASU members at the gate
