17th July, 2014
Sulaimon Mojeed-Sanni
The Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-Owned Tertiary Institutions (CASUOSTI) comprising of Osun state College of Technology, OSCOTECH, Esa-Oke; Osun state Polytechnic, OSPOLY, Iree; Osun State College of Education, OSCOED, Ilesa and Ila Campuses, have vowed to continue the five- month old strike until their demands are met.
The lecturers said they dissociate themselves from any directive by whoever, stating that academic activities should resume on Monday, 14 July, 2014.
Speaking through its secretary, Comrade Oluwasegun Lanal, CASOUSTI said students should disregard any call to resume as the union is still on strike. It noted that the strike would not be called off until government does the right thing by acceding to their demands.
“Consequently, all lecturers are implored to stay away from the campuses until the end of the strike action. As resolved during our just concluded congresses, we are in talks with government as negotiations continue in the spirit of collective bargaining towards resolution of the ongoing industrial action,” he stated.
On the allegation that the union is being sponsored by the opposition party against the administration of the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and would call off the strike immediately after the August Gubernatorial election, Comrade Lanal said that the allegation is baseless as anyone who is peddling such a rumour cannot give proof.
“Ask the person who told you that to prove it. Government is an institution, it is not about who occupies the office. That is why we’ve been saying that our demands are not tied to any individual but Government.
“It is institutional, so there is no change to our position. Whoever is running the system called government at anytime, is the person with whom we have business,” he averred.
A student of OSCOTECH and member of Education Right Campaign, Adegoke Alegunleye said that the strike was caused by Osun state government’s failure to honour an agreement it signed with the lecturers last year.
He noted that even the students are in dark as regards the state of negotiations between the two warring parties.
“The lecturers’ demands are that government should recruit more staff, implement new retirement age which is a binding National Policy and was initially approved by our amiable Governor, Ogbeni Aregbesola.
“The academics also asked for full implementation of salary structure and neglected allowances. They claimed to be the least paid but highest taxed in the southwest region.
“The want the compulsory pension scheme being operated in the state stopped and that salaries should be paid early enough,” Alegunleye stated.