…Set to resume duties Monay
From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Lecturers at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State, have announced their decision to put on hold, the “work-to-rule” industrial action, they embarked upon over a month ago.
With this development, full academic activities are expected to begin at the institution, on Monday.
Announcing the suspension of the industrial action on Friday at a press conference in Abeokuta, the chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), MAPOLY chapter, Kola Abiola, explained the that the union took the decision at its congress, on Friday.
He, however, said the work-to-rule was only suspended for two weeks to enable the authorities meet certain conditions.
The lecturers had boycotted the scheduled second semester examinations of the polytechnic since September 15, following the friction generated by the upgrade of MAPOLY into the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) and creation of a new state polytechnic in Ipokia.
Speaking further, Abiola, said the suspension of the industrial action was to honour the newly appointed Acting Rector, Mr. Ayodeji Tella, who, according to him, “deemed fit to meet with academic staff and made various promises”.
He, however, complained that 60 percent of staff salaries for the month of September is yet to be paid, while the assurance for 100 percent salaries for October cannot be guaranteed.
His words: “We have seen the need to shift ground to enable them to agree to some of the things. When it is two weeks and these things are not met, congress will decide the next line of action.
“Our decisions were not borne out of intimidation. At the end of the two weeks, if these conditions are not met, then the union would have no choice but to declare industrial dispute with the management of MAPOLY.”
On the new the date for the commencement of the stalled examinations, the chairman said it was not in the position of ASUP to decide saying “it is the prerogative of the management to arrange the calendar and decide when to start exam.”
The communique issued by the union partly read, “The Acting Rector met with academic staff of the polytechnic on Wednesday, 18th October, 2017, where various promises were made bordering on workers’ welfare, sustainability, job security, students’ examinations and ND 1 admission.
“The members of Ogun State House Committee on Education had a meeting with the Acting Rector on Wednesday, 18th October, 2017, where the Acting Rector informed them that the Ogun State government will cater for staff salaries and allowances and admit ND 1 students for 2017/2018 session into Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.
“The earlier confirmation demanded of our communique sent to the Hon. Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology has not been received.
“After exhaustive deliberation on the aforementioned, the Congress hereby resolved that the work-to-rule industrial action embarked upon since 15th September, 2017 be suspended with immediate effect given that the conditions stated below are met within the next two weeks (Monday 23rd October – Friday 3rd November, 2017).”