Unity Schools: 14 days to ASCSN ultimatum

President Musa Yar'AduaStudents in the 104 Federal Government Colleges across the country may not resume for their second term academic calendar as another round of nationwide strike is imminent in the unity schools.

Already, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has given a 30-day ultimatum to the Ministry of Education to resolve matters involved or face indefinite strike action. The ultimatum commenced from 4 December, 2008 and ends on 3 January, 2009.

The 30-day ultimatum followed an earlier declaration of a trade dispute by the union, calling on the Ministry of Education and the Minister of Labour, Dr. Hassan Lawal, to urgently intervene in the reconciliatory meeting between the ASCSN and the Ministry of Education which was deadlocked.

In a letter with reference number ASCSN/FML/VOL.IV/297 addressed to the Minister of Labour and dated 23 October, 2008, the union had declared a trade dispute, citing discontentment and agitation of officers and teachers in the Federal Government Colleges.

Signed by the Secretary General of the ASCSN, Comrade Solomon Onaghinon, the letter read: “I forward herewith Form TD/3 duly completed in respect of a trade dispute declared against the management of the Federal Ministry of Education for your urgent intervention.

“The urgency has arisen as a result of high level discontent and agitation of the affected officers, particularly in the colleges which can result into major industrial crisis soonest if allowed to fester.”

In accordance with the Trade Dispute Act CAP 432 of 1990, Comrade Onaghinon in the form TD/3 titled: “Notification of trade dispute by employers/workers organisation,” raised the points in dispute and stated that all the steps earlier taken to reach agreement were to no avail while meetings held were deadlocked.

The crux of the dispute, according to Comrade Onaghinon include: the ceding of Unity Colleges to the State Governments and or the old Boys Association without due consideration to the way staff will be affected; the refusal of the Federal Civil Service Commission to interview officers who fall within the field of selection on GL14 – 16 from the Federal Ministry of Education; Non payment of arrears of promotion for the past three years, and non payment of 15% salary increase to staff in the 104 Unity Colleges as was done to those in the headquarters, Abuja.

Other grouses of the workers include: Posting of the union officials before competing their tenure contrary to an earlier agreement of 2006 on the matter; posting of staff without any financial provision as contained in the Public Service Rules; rejection of staff posted by headquarters by some Principals thereby inflicting unnecessary financial burden on the affected staff; suspension of one Mr. Izah K.C of Federal Government College, Ijaniki, Lagos without pay when the conciliator was already addressing the trade dispute; setting up of Industrial Relations Unit to warehouse documents on labour issues and the need for quarterly meetings with management of the Federal Ministry of Education to urgently resolve issues as they arise.

A reconciliatory meeting was held as a result of the trade dispute declared by the union last Thursday December 4, at the Conference room of the Minister of Labour to resolve the crisis, but the meeting was deadlocked, following which the ASCSN gave a 30-day ultimatum, commencing from that day.

Though the decision was not made public, Labour Today reliably gathered that the union leadership was unhappy that despite their efforts to amicably resolve the crisis, the official representing the Ministry of Education came to the meeting without any mandate.

Disturbed by the trend of effect and they termed as ineffectiveness and lackadaisical attitude of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, the union also demanded for his transfer, insisting that he must go.

A source at the meeting said: “As a result of lack of mandate, the association resolved to give a 30-day ultimatum from 4 December to 3 January, for the Ministry to resolve all the matters, unless, no Federal Government College will resume for the second term next January.

“Instruction had already gone down to all the Federal Government Colleges to commence mobilisation.”