From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Joint Union of Academic Staff of Plateau State Owned Tertiary Institutions (JUASPTI) has issued the Plateau State Government 7 days ultimatum to address issues arising from the implementation of the new minimum wage or embark on an indefinite strike.
Chairman of the Union Lumpye Innocent Simji disclosed this while addressing reporters in Jos and said the academic union had ended it three days warning strike last week when the new Head of Civil Service, Engr Sunday Hyat, intervene and demanded for time to address the issues.
Simji explained that the salary table agreed on during the minimum wage negotiation was not the one used by government for the implementation of the minimum wage.
‘When government said it has implemented the minimum wage, we discover that it came with alot of infractions, we have the salary table with our colleagues who we are on the same level but the salary is different, we don’t know why it is like that.
‘We discovered that the table that was signed during the negotiation of the minimum wage is not the table that was implemented. Our members are not happy with that because it affected our gratuity account because we manage it ourselves.
‘This has brought down our gratuity with about 40 percent. Therefore, we are giving government another ultimatum of 7 days and if nothing is done, we will go on an indefinite strike, this is the agreement of the congress.’
Simji also kicked against the unnecessary deduction from the salaries of members for Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (PLASCHEMA) even when none of them has been enrolled into the scheme.
He said deduction has been made from their salaries from January to March even when the health scheme Programme has not commenced.
Simji appealed to government to always released deductions for their cooperative society and union dues in good time to enable them take loans for their personal use.
He said the Joint Union of Academic Staff of Plateau State Owned Tertiary Institutions (JUASPTI) comprises of College of Nursing Vom, College of Health Technology Zawan, College of Health Technology Pankshin, College of Education Gindiri, College of Agriculture Garkawa, College of Art, Science and Technology Kwugwi.
