By O.V Collins
Members of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) have today, Tuesday, June 14, 2022, commenced a one-month strike.
The Union made the decision after a meeting at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, June 10, where it assessed the federal government’s responsiveness to its demands. This declaration is following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum which the union issued FG to resolve the complaints of the union’s members.
The industrial action was declared in a memo signed by the COEASU President, Dr. Smart Olugbeko and General Secretary, Dr. Ahmed Bazza Lawan, respectively.
The communique read in part, “The total strike action suspended by the Union in December 2018 will be resumed immediately for four weeks in the first instance. NEC shall reconvene after the four weeks of strike action to re-assess the level of the Government’s commitment on the issues for an appropriate decision on the way forward thenceforth.
“Every Chapter Congress across the federation should convene on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, to adequately inform the Congress on the commencement of the strike action due to 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 an 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.
“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 in the unexpected event that their local issues remain unresolved by the end of the nationwide strike.
“Vice Presidents/Zonal Coordinators shall monitor the compliance of Chapters in their respective Zones while 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.”
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are still on a warning strike, which began 4 months ago without any end in sight to the industrial action.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU had recently opted to continue its ongoing comprehensive strike which commenced on February 14, 2022, for another three months. Since the begining of the strike, both ASUU and FG have met for several reconciliation meetings but all efforts made to put an end to the strike have so far proved futile.