Following the declaration of indefinite strike by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Osun State University, which comprises all the non-teaching staff of the University, the management on Monday handed down an ultimatum to members of the union to resume work.
This was contained in a press release signed by the Registrar, who also doubles as the Secretary to the council, Mr Gafar Shittu, a copy which was made available to newsmen in Osogbo, where it was disclosed that some of the demands of the striking workers have been met hence, the need for them to go back to work.
It threatened to invoke “no work, no pay rule ” should the workers fail to resume latest by 10th April, 2018, adding that of the total of Five Hundred and Twenty Four million Naira,N524, 000000, outstanding Earned Allowance due for the workers, the University has paid Two Hundred and Twenty Four Million Naira [N224m]
According to the release, it has been resolved at an emergency council meeting of the University held on Monday, March 26, 2018 that the outstanding N300m for the Earned Allowances should be paid on instalments of N10m per month, starting from 30th April, 2018.
“While the main demand in the previous strike remains the immediate payment of earned allowances, the unions have introduced new demands,which include: Withdrawal of the new Conditions of Service for lack of Union’s inputs.Reinstatement of staff members allegedly removed from payroll.
“The Council of the University on Monday, February 5, 2018, set-up a committee to meet and negotiate with the Unions, it announced that the extant rule of “ no-work-no pay” would be invoked against any staff that failed to report to work immediately. Meanwhile, the Unions had not only ensured that the entire University system is brought into comatose, staff members who are willing to resume for work are issued threats to their lives and properties.
“It is apposite to state at this juncture, that the University has been unable to pay the Earned Allowance because of the shortfall in its finances. Nevertheless, of the total sum of five hundred and twenty four million naira (N524M) being the cost of the accrued allowances for the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, the sum of two hundred and twenty four million naira (N224M)has since been paid while the university is not owing any arrears of salary till date.
“It should be noted that even Federal Universities have only paid for 2009/2010 while no state university in Nigeria has paid anything close to UNIOSUN. Yet, non-teaching staff Unions have continued to reject offer of instalmental payment of the balance of the three hundred million (N300M) but preferred payment of the earned allowance at most twice without due cognizance of the peculiar financial status of the University.
“The non-teaching staff members have been on strike for three (3) weeks. The implication is that the University has been practically shut down. Several statutory meetings had to be cancelled or postponed while the National Universities Commission (NUC)’s accreditation of regular undergraduate programmes and the Nursing Council of Nigeria’s professional accreditation of the nursing programme were almost stalled.
” Meanwhile the non-teaching staff members who are still on strike were paid salaries while the students who are financing the University are losing out and being short-changed.
“Therefore, the University Council at its meeting held on Monday, 26th March, 2018 and in response to the on-going three (3) weeks strike of the non-teaching staff, directed as follows: That the three hundred million naira (N300M) balance of the 2014/2015 Earned Allowance be paid instalmentally at ten million naira (N10M) per month effective from 30th April, 2018.
“That the “no-work-no pay” extant rule remains in force”, it stated.
The release, while appealing to the stinking workers to get back to work immediately also added that a register of attendance would be administered in every college and department for non-teaching staff members who are willing to resume work immediately.
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