Week after Protest, ASUP Commences Indefinite Strike in FPE

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic Ekowe (FPE) Chapter, has announced its readiness to embark on an indefinite strike to pressure for their demands from the school management.

POLYTV had earlier report how the polytechnic lecturers protested last week calling for the removal of the acting registrar.

The union said the indefinite strike will commence on Monday 10th July 2023 until all their issues are addressed.

In a communique signed by the Chairman, Comrade Agada Franklin and General Secretary, Justin Ikirigo made available to POLYTV, said the decision to embark on  the strike was taken at an emergency Congress in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

The Union frowned at the non implementation of accumulated promotion arrears for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and non implementation of annual step increment and its arrears from January, 2023 to date.

Other issues include the non implementation of the agreed 2% academic allowance, refusal to pay imprest, infrastructural decay in the campus especially classrooms, desks and teaching aids.

The union further accused the school management of running the institution from the liaison office after a decade of its establishment while abandoning the EKowe campus resulting in poor security at the campus, unkempt working environment and poor power supply that cripple academic activities.

The communique noted that the strike is inevitable due to suspended strike actions on the 31st of August, 2022, and subsequent reminders on the 6th of December, 2022 and 10th March, 2023.

The communique reads in part, ” Arising from the deliberations of the congress, the review of the suspended strike action that was embarked upon on the 6th of August, 2022 but suspended on the 31st of August, 2022, and the subsequent reminders (6th December, 2022, and 10th March, 2023; find Attached).

”The following observations were made by the congress as unresolved issues;
1. Promotion implementation and Arrears for; 2018 promotion arrears, 2019 promotion arrears, 2020 promotion implementation and its arrears, 2021 promotion implementation and its arrears, 2022 promotion implementation and its arrears till date.

” 2023 Implementation of annual step increment and its arrears from January, 2023 to date, the agreed 2% academic allowance, Imprest,  Infrastructural decay in the campus (Classrooms, Desks, and teaching aids), Running the institution from the liaison office after one decade of establishment, Poor security in the campus, Unkempt working environment and Poor power supply that cripple academic activities

” In the light of the above observations, congress resolved that effective on Monday 10th of July, 2023, the union shall embark on an indefinite strike.”

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