COEASU threatens to embark on indefinite strike

By JOAN NWAGWU

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of agreement entered with the Federal Government.

The COEASU President, Smart Olugbeko, said this in a communiqué jointly signed by Ahmed Bazza, the General Secretary of the union on Tuesday in Abuja.

Olugbeko said the resolution was taken at the end of the union’s NEC meeting held at Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State.

He said the meeting was called to assess the level of responsible action by the Federal Government and the way forward upon the lapse of the 21-day ultimatum issued by the union on the lingering issues of industrial concern.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union demands include, non-commencement of renegotiation of FGN-COEASU 2010 Agreement, non-release of N15billion and B18billion revitalisation fund.

Others are non–implementation of 2014 Needs Assessment Report, payment of promotion arrears, payment of allowance to librarians, implementation of the consequential effect of the implementation of CONTISS15 on lower cadres.

Others are also poor funding and poor conditions across state-owned Colleges of Education, University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) and refusal to mainstream demonstration school staff in the payroll of the colleges.

According to Olugbeko, NEC condemned non-resolution of these lingering issues.

He said the union unanimously resolved that the total strike action suspended by the union in December 2018 be resumed immediately for four weeks in the first instance.

“NEC shall reconvene after the four weeks strike action to re-assess the level of government’s commitment on the issues for appropriate decision on way forward thenceforth.

“Every chapter congress across the federation should convene on June 14, to adequately inform the congress on the commencement of the strike action due the festering issues and the status of inaction leading to the industrial action.

“Leadership of the union at all levels (National, Zonal and Chapter) should embark on emphatic media campaign towards seamless public awareness on the issues leading to the strike action.

“The strike action shall be total and all members of the academic staff in all Colleges of Education (both Federal and State) must withdraw from all statutory duties without exemption,” he said.

He added that all state-owned colleges already on industrial action to press home local demands should impress on their respective managements that the local strike shall continue.

According to him, that is in the unexpected event that their local issues remain unresolved by the end of the nationwide strike.

He said that Vice Presidents/Zonal Coordinators shall monitor the compliance of chapters in their respective zones.

“Defaulting chapters shall be prevented from enjoying the gains of the struggle and earn themselves other sanctions.

“As NEC shall deem applicable based on normal Union regulations pertaining to Collective Bargaining,” he said. (NAN)