Joint Action Committee for Trade Unions, Ebonyi College of Education, Ikwo chapter, has issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to the management of the institution to meet their demands or face industrial action.
JACTU issued the fresh ultimatum after the alleged failure of the college management to address the issues raised by the unions as contained in the ultimatum it earlier issued in May.
The unions articulated their demands in a 10-point communiqué, signed by chairmen of the industrial unions under JACTU and made available to newsmen on Monday in Abakaliki.
The unions want the school management to take practical steps to address all contending issues to prevent a total shut down of the institution.
The unions among other things want the authorities to address the continued shortfall in staff salaries since November 2015, non-implementation of annual increments since 2015, non-implementation of financial benefits of promotions since 2014.
JACTU is also demanding payment of arrears of 37 per cent of CONPASS, and CONTEDISS approved salary structures since 2011, and other outstanding arrears.
Other issues in contention are non-payment of four months outstanding salaries of 15 recalled lecturers, and their teaching practice allowances, inability of Ebonyi Government and Governing Council to gazette the college.
The unions’ other grievances included inability of the college to provide members of staff conditions of service, non-payment of terminal benefits to dead and retired staff among others.
The unions threatened to start a three-day warning strike starting from July 19 if nothing concrete was done to address the demands.
It said: “The various unions in JACTU will commence the suspended 2015 strike if by July 19 the demands of the unions are not met.
“We will first start with a three-day warning strike that will begin July 19 and end July 21, before embarking on an indefinite strike if management and council fail to meet our demand.”
JACTU therefore called on well-meaning citizens of the state and stakeholders in the education sector to prevail on the management of the institution to address the demands of the union to avert the looming strike.
It said: “We appeal to well-meaning citizens of the state and key stakeholders in the education sector to intervene to save the institution from being plunged into avoidable industrial unrest.
“We believe in dialogue and will always avail ourselves to open dialogue aimed at resolving the trade dispute.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the unions that make up JACTU are Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education and Non Academic Staff Union.
All the chairmen of the three unions signed the communiqué.
They are Greg Esheya signed for COEASU, Eugene Onu for SSUCON and Chinenye Onuenyim for NASU.
The unions recalled that the April 14, 2015 strike was suspended, following appeals by the college management and a promise to positively address all contending issues.
It said: “Unfortunately, none of the issues has been given attention, rather the working conditions of staff continue to worsen.
“Congresses thus observe with utmost pain and regret the intolerable conditions that member of staff of the college have been subjected to in the last three years with complete negligence of their welfare.”
JACTU decried the apparent unwillingness of the college management to meaningfully address the issues of grave concern to the survival of the college of education system in the state.