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ASUP Vows To Go On With it's 9-month-old Strike

Published

10 years ago

June 29, 2014

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) vow to go on with its nine-month-long nationwide strike, NAN reports. The decision has been made after the meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) and despite the upcoming talks with the Senate Committee on Education on July 1, 2014, Tueasday.
ASUP President, Chibuzor Asumogha, declared this in Lagos upon termination of ASUP’s 77th NEC meeting.
First of all, ASUP leader reminded that previous round of negotiations between the union and the Federal Government, scheduled for June 24, failed, because none of the government officials showed up. Asumogha said that the union looks forward to meeting the committee on Tuesday.
He further confirmed ASUP’s commitment to continue the strike for an indefinite period, until the parties would be able to reach mutual understanding and come to an agreement.
“This is the position of the NEC. We have been compromising since 2013. We have continued to agree to suspend the strike, but at each point government always bridged the agreement,” Asumogha said.
ASUP boss urged both parents and students to remain patient, support the polytechnic lecturers in the fight for their rights.
It would be recalled that the union has been on a nationwide strike since October 2013.
The purpose of the strike is to get improvement in the condition of service and infrastructure in government-owned polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of technology. Other demands include the review of the Polytechnic Act by the National Assembly and the release of the White Paper on the NEEDS assessment of polytechnics.
ASUP also insists the Federal Government should remove the dichotomy between HND and degree holders, among others.
At the same time, FG has met some of the demands, i.e. inauguration of governing councils and setting up of the NEEDS assessment committees. However, these did not help to terminate the industrial action.