Teachers suspend strike in five states, tackle Oshiomhole
JUNE 26, 2013
Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
Nigeria Union of Teachers has accused Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, of betrayal, saying by his attitude towards teachers, he has been exhibiting bad examples of labour practice and democratic governance.
The union had on June 1, declared what it called a “painful strike” in 11 states, including Edo over the non-payment of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Enhanced Salary Scale and N18,000 Minimum Wage.
But in a statement by the NUT National President, Michael Alogba, the union said it had suspended the strike in Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Benue and Cross River states because the states had responded to the demands of the teachers.
It, however, said the strike would continue in Edo, Ekiti, Ogun, Zamfara, Kogi and Ebonyi states because their governors had resisted “all industrial panacea put at their beck and call to return them to industrial stability and health since August 6, 2008.”
The union, which singled out Oshiomhole for reproach, said it was “piqued by the anti-labour practice” of the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
It lamented that the governor did not respect a resolution to perfect the negotiation on June 11, even after he set up a committee to look into the accounts of both the state and local governments with a view to determining their finances to pay the allowance
NUT said, “It is disturbing to know that while the union approached the designated venue of negotiation on the rescheduled date, the unimaginable happened. The ‘Comrade’ Governor had directed that the union’s leadership be locked out for no just cause and effort to secure reason for the lock out could only attract the response of the official “by order from above.
“Alas, the ‘Comrade’ Governor had accepted to pay 27.5 per cent teachers allowance to secondary school teachers and requested NUT to negotiate with local government in respect of primary school teachers.
“And, like a smart –alec that he is, he did this without any signed agreement or document to be relied upon for enforcement in case of default of promise and or agreement.
“The greatest regret of NUT and perhaps the entire labour leadership in Edo State is that the ‘Comrade’ Governor, by his actions, is exhibiting bad examples of labour practice and democratic governance from which all civilised, responsible and fair minded governors should distance themselves.”
The NUT recalled that under Oshiomhole as NLC President, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools was “declared and treated as illegal and an unregistered and unregisterable trade union and the status of this organisation remained so for a long time until recently.”
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