FedPoly workers down tools in Bayelsa over salary shortfalls

THE joint union of the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, in Bayelsa State, has embarked on an indefinite strike over persistent shortfall in the salary of workers in the institution.

Speaking with journalists on Monday in Yenagoa, Mr Charles Amgbari, chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the school, said the strike commenced at 12 midnight on Sunday, July 7.

Amgbari explained that the decision to embark on the strike was taken by chairmen of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANP) and Non Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (NASU), at their joint union meeting on July 5.

“The key resolution was a total shutdown of the system with immediate effect until full salaries of workers and the (implementation of the) Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit(PICA).

“We have set up a 15-man monitoring team, five from each of the three unions, to ensure total compliance by members. We have suffered the decrease in salary since 2015; a lot of verification has been carried out but all to no avail till today.”

The NASUP chairman, Mr. Nelson Ebimie, and his SSANP counterpart, Mr Charles Willabo, said the industrial action was to drive home their demand.

Reacting to the development, Dr Seiyaboh Idah, rector of the polytechnic said the management of the institution was aware of the strike and appealed to the aggrieved staff to have a rethink and return to work.

“Yes, this shortfall in salary started before I assumed office in August 2016. This is one of the challenges I inherited, but immediately I came on board I took up the challenge.

“We have made several presentations and visits to the Ministry of Budget, Finance, National Assembly, among others. Our actual proposal that can pay 100 per cent of the salary has not been released to us. That is the reason behind the shortfalls.