MANAGEMENT OF RUFUS GIWA POLYTECHNIC OWO SUSPENDS THE TWO UNIONS ON CAMPUS FOR DEMANDING FOR 13 MONTHS SALARY ARREARS.
In an internal memorandum issued and signed by the Registrar of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, on Tuesday, 4th January, 2022, the Management of the Institution acting on the order of Council Chairman, suspended the activities of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Non- Academic Staff Union (NASU) in the institution for demanding for their 13 months salary arrears.
It would be recalled that the institution has emersed in serious financial difficulties leading to its inability to pay its workers as and when due. The polytechnic is currently grasping for breath and as at the last count, the institution is owing its workers 13 months and 35% salary arrears including December, 2016 and January, 2017.
The Staff of the Polytechnic had only received 65% salary of January, 2021 and received nothing to celebrate the New Year festival. Apart from non- payment of Staff salary, the retirees of the institution were owed billion of Naira unpaid gratuities.
The only platform which the Workers of the Polytechnic has been using to engage Management and State Government on the need to pay these backlogs of salary arrears is their Unions. But unfortunately, Management of the institution in its bid to silence workers of the Polytechnic, banned the activities of the Academic staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) in 2019. An action that had led to litigation between the proscribed Union and Management of the Institution at the Industrial Court holden in Akure, the State capital.
The polytechnic has continued to record countless death in the past year among members of Staff due to non payment of salary and inability to buy drugs and other essentials for the sick among them. As at the last count, the Polytechnic has recorded over 23 death of its Staff while many of them have withdrawn their children from private secondary schools to public schools due to increasing debt.
To add to their problems, no bank in the entire Owo metropolis is willing to give out loans to them because they are referred to as not being credit worthy.
In the midst of all these difficulties, the Staff of the Polytechnic has been resilient and hardworking. And as a mark of respect for the State Governor, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, the strike action that was embarked upon last year by the Unions was suspended owing to the promised of the Governor that he will released a substantial amount of fund to the institution to offset the 13 months salary arrears.
Management should find a common ground to solve this salary issue ravaging the institution as occasioned by acute financial imbroglio being witnessed by institution instead of suspending Unions for agitating for their legitimate entitlements.
How on earth will Management of an Institution that is owing its workforce 13 months Salary arrears decided to suspend Unions for asking to be paid ? When does it becomes a crime for a union to demand for the wages of its members to be paid ? When will Management of the Institution refrain from its military posture of engaging in series of needless battles with its staff ? As at the last count, the Polytechnic is having close to 4 litigations in the industrial court against it. This is the most of any tertiary institutions in the country.
The attempt to gauge the Unions from agitating for their 13 months salary arrears by Management of the Institution must be condemned by all lovers of justice. It is definitely an exercise in futility because Unions are not creation of Management but a critical stakeholders in the running of the Institution.
It is high time Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu put an end to the rot in the Polytechnic which incidentally is in his home town by doing the needful. Management of the Polytechnic should also ensure industrial harmony and prevent the toxic atmosphere which the barbaric and heartless suspension of Unions activities is bound to cause in the Institution.
The time to save the Polytechnic from imminent collapse is now. A stitch in time, saves nine.
Desmond Olaegbe,
Convener,
Youth Advocate for Better Funding of Tertiary Institution.
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