Osun workers divided over resumption directive

The Nigeria Union of Teachers in Osun State has said teachers in the state would defy the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress by continuing with the strike embarked on over nonpayment of their salaries.

The Chairman of the NUT in the state, Mr. Wakeel Amudah, and Principal Secretary, Mr. Mohammed Abdulahi, said this On Thursday in separate interviews with our correspondent after a meeting held at the secretariat of the union in Osogbo .

Amudah said that teachers would continue with the strike because the state government had violated the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the labour leaders on Monday by paying them 50 per cent of their Januray salaries.

The state government had promised to pay workers January and Febryary salaries and based on the agreement, the workers suspended the strike. But the government eventually paid them 50 per cent of Januray salaries.

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This forced the NLC to order workers to resume strike on Tuesday evening. However, the NLC and the JNC chairmen reordered workers to resume work on Wednesday, saying they had been given an assurance that the government would pay their salaries in full.

The NUT chairman said, ” Teachers cannot resume with just 50 per cent of January salary. The NLC officials did not officially tell us that the strike has been lifted. We are going to continue with the strike, all teachers will remain at home until the months’ salaries agreed upon are paid.

” We have our own union because of the peculiarity of teachers in the state. Our teachers get transfered from time to time, and they would need money to transport themselves. We have to even convince them to agree to the two months.”

The secretary also said teachers would not resume work, saying the government did not show sincerity with the payment of half salary.

He said, ” The Osun State wing of Nigeria Union of Teachers is not backing out from the strike despite the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress that all workers should resume work.

“The union observed that, as against the spirit of the agreement, the state government only paid half of a month’s salary to our teachers instead of two months. The NUT has resolved to continue with the strike until the agreement signed by the government is honoured.

“Consequently, any directive by any arm of labour directing that workers should resume work should be ignored, since that will be against the content and tenets of the MOU signed.”

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