Workers shut down rector’s office, begin warning strike

Members of the Senior Staffs Association of Nigerian Polytechnics in Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on Friday commenced a seven-day warning strike with a protest walk around the school premises to press for their demands.

The workers, who began the protest after a brief congress meeting held at  the institution’s TEFfund auditorium, expressed disappointment over management’s poor handling of their demands, which they noted include non-payment of 38 per cent balance of salary shortfall, non-payment of promotion arrears, forceful conversion of staffs, among others.

Rising from the congress, the protesters matched straight to the Rector’s office, displaying placards and chanting solidarity songs, while calling for full implementation of their demands.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read “SSANIP says no to unnecessary transfer of members”, “No to forceful conversion of staffs”, “Pay us our 38 per cent balance salary shortfall (2016–2018), “Pay us our correct salary placement arrears (2015-2018) and other demands”.

Speaking while addressing the protesters, SSANIP chairman in the polytechnic, Mr Tamunosiki Daka, said they were not out to fight anybody but to demands for their welfare.

He expressed disappointment that management has been paying dear ears to all issues of the association including the personnel salaries shortfalls since 2015 despite frequent reminder.

He said, “Please let it be on record that I, the chairman of the SSANIP, Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, is not fighting anybody. I was not elected to fight anybody. I was not elected to look into the affairs of anybody outside that of SSANIP.

“SSANIP welfare is my topmost priority and how can we talk about welfare without them giving us our arrears of what they owing us.

“We have met the management but they did not give any concrete reason for us not to go on this strike; we wrote the acting Rector but she did not attend to us until the present Rector, Dr Uduak Ndaeyo, attended to us, but even at that, no concrete answer was given to us.

“Nothing to hold back to the Congress and now congress said our ultimatum of seven days stands and the rules of engagement is that before you embark on any industrial action, you must inform management 21 days, 14 days and 7 days of which we have done.”

“We have been begging for the past six months. How would you tell me that appointing a teaching staff into the position of ICT is a right decision? By Monday, no office will be opened in this place. We are going to shut down every office, including that of the Rector,” Daka threatened.