The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NUT

  • Edo, NUT meeting in deadlock

    A stakeholders’ meeting between striking members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Government of Edo State convened by Civil Society Organisations yesterday ended in a stalemate.

    Primary schools have been closed since June 1 when the NUT ordered its members to embark on an indefinite strike, following partial implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Special Allowance (TSA).

    The government has been paying 17 per cent to teachers and recently approved the full payment of 27.5 per cent to secondary school teachers for not participating in the strike.

    It invoked the no-work-no-pay rule on the striking teachers and said the teachers must return to classes before negotiations can begin.

    It was a rowdy session at the meeting held at Urhokpota Hall in Benin City as government officials and NUT representatives tried to explain their stand on the strike.

    Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice David Ugolor said the meeting was convened to enable teachers know the real issues behind the strike.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Lucky James and Commissioner for Basic Education Patrick Aguinede urged the teachers to call off the strike for negotiations to continue.

    James said the government would respond positively within two days, if the teachers suspend the strike.

    He said: “This is a simple matter. Nobody has said he will not pay. You were not told the truth. We have to look at the financial implications of what the payment will cost the local councils.

    “Some local councils cannot pay their statutory staff after paying teachers’ salaries. There are other issues that should bother us and not allowance.”

    Aguinede told the teachers that their leaders refused to show up for several meetings called for the negotiation.

    First Vice Chairman of NUT John Aiyobahan said the issues were not about negotiation but implementation.

    He said government shunned them on the scheduled day for meeting.

    Ugolor said the civil society groups would meet separately with the NUT and the government.

     

  • Teachers’ strike called off in four states

    Additional four states have agreed to implement the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS), 12 days into an indefinite strike by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

    The teachers are protesting the non implementation of the salary structure.

    They were also fighting the non implementation of the N18, 000 national minimum wage by the governments of the states.

    The NUT President, Mr. Michael Alogba-Olukoya, made this known in a telephone chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

    Alogba-Olukoya said that Cross River, Ebonyi, Borno and Niger State governments had agreed to meet the teachers’ demands.

    He said the body had called off strike in those states but would continue the action in the remaining states until they complied.

    He listed the remaining states as Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Kogi, Zamfara, Sokoto and Benue.

    NAN reports that the NUT began the strike on June 1 in the 11 states.

     

  • NUT suspends strike in Cross River

    NUT suspends strike in Cross River

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Cross River on Tuesday suspended the three days old strike by its members and urged them to resume work immediately.

    The NUT Chairman, Mr Njom Nyambi, announced the suspension of the strike at a meeting of the union in Calabar, saying teachers should resume work to create way for the smooth running of the school system.

    He said the strike was called off to give room for negotiation with the government on the implementation of 27.5 per cent Teachers Peculiar Allowance.

    The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Offiong Offiong, also directed all principals, head teachers, teachers, students and pupils to return to school.

    Offiong urged principals and teachers to take into consideration the three days lost to the strike with a view to making up for the lost time.

    “Classes should resume immediately so that the syllabus will be effectively covered in preparation for the forthcoming internal and external examinations, “ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the teachers embarked on strike over government’s failure to pay the allowance.

  • Strike: NUT gives Ebonyi two- week ultimatum

    The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) on Wednesday gave Ebonyi State government two weeks ultimatum to arrive at a satisfactory agreement with the union or it will join the strike action called by its national leadership.

    The threat is part of decisions reached at the end of an emergency meeting of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the union.

    According to a communiqué issued at the end of the emergency meeting, the union wondered why the state government suddenly stopped the payment of the 27.5 percent Teachers’ Special Allowance in November 2011 after it had paid it for some months.

    It applauded the on-going negotiation between the state government and the leadership of the union on how to commence the payment and ensure the sustenance of existing industrial harmony in the state.

    The union further urged the state government to consider restoring the payment to avoid industrial action which has already commenced in similar states where the special allowances are not being paid.

    “However, in consultation with the national head office of the union, we resolved that the ongoing-strike action in non compliant states be put on hold, for the time being in Ebonyi State, pending the outcome of the negotiations.

    “Accordingly, the union gave a two-week grace for the state government and NUT leadership in the State to conclude the negotiation, otherwise, teachers in the state would be left with no other alternative but to join the sit at home strike action, “the communiqué read.

     

  • Teachers’ strike: NUT officials, students clash in Benue

    Teachers’ strike: NUT officials, students clash in Benue

    There was a bloody clash between pupils sitting for Basic Education Certificate Examination and officials of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) monitoring team in Makurdi and Vande- Ikya local government areas of Benue State on Tuesday.

    The NUT officials stormed some primary schools in the state and insisted that the examination must be stopped in total compliance with directives from the NUT head quarters in the on -going primary school teachers’ strike.

    However, pupils who were in the examination halls in Makurdi and Vandeikya reacted violently and chased away NUT officials with sticks and stones.

    Primary school teachers in Benue State like their counterparts in 11 states of the federation are embarking on indefinite strike to press home their demand for the implementation 27 .5 teachers’ allowance.

    Governor Gabriel Suswam is insisting that before teachers in the state would enjoy the minimum wage, his administration would know the exact numbers of the teachers on its pay roll through a comprehensive teachers’ audit.

     

  • NUT to begin strike over non-payment of 27.5% allowance

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) will tomorrow begin a total strike in 11 states over non-payment of 27.5 per cent “teachers’ peculiar allowance”.

    The affected states, according to the NUT National President, Comrade Michael Olukoya, are: Benue, Cross River, Bornu, Ekiti, Ogun, Ebonyi, Edo, Kogi, Niger, Zamfara and Sokoto.

    Olukoya told reporters in Abuja that the decision was from the National Executive Council (NEC) of NUT against what he called the continuing default by “these derelict, unpatriotic and self-serving political leadership in these states to pay the long overdue 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance.”

    At the NUT meeting was the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National President, Comrade Abdulwahed Umar.

    The strike, Olukoya said, will be used to also demand for the payment of the 2011 N18,000 minimum wage by some states.

    The proposed strike, Olukoya insisted, will not abate until the union is paid the outstanding package for the teachers.

    According to him, security agents should ensure that the teachers are not harassed during the strike.

    He said: “Teachers in the 11 states will begin a total work boycott with effect from June 1. You will recall that on August 6, 2008, and following a protracted strike by Nigerian teachers to press home our demands for the recognition and granting of Professional Salary Structure (PSS) to teachers – popularly called Teachers’ Salary Structure (TSS), and after all processes had successfully passed through the Joint Consultative Council Reference Committee and the plenary body with successful passage of the resolution by the National Council on Education, the Federal Government developed cold feet in the implementation, even after the matter had successfully passed for mention at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    “That day, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), under the leadership of their Dr. Bukola Saraki and Namadi Sambo, then of Kwara and Kaduna states, as Chairman and Secretary, did not only enter the affray but also successfully negotiated with the NUT and granted 27.5 per cent ‘Teachers Peculiar Allowance’ and made it payable with effect from January 2009.

    “While some state governments, after much struggle, came to terms with the provisions of the agreement, it is regrettable that five years after, 11 states are still in their state of prevarications.

  • Teachers to begin strike over non- payment of allowance

    Teachers to begin strike over non- payment of allowance

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) will on June 1 begin a total strike action in 11 states over non-payment of 27.5 percent teachers’ peculiar allowance.

    The affected states, according to the NUT National President, Comrade Michael Olukoya are Benue, Cross River, Bornu, Ekiti, Ogun, Ebonyi, Edo, Kogi, Niger, Zamfara and Sokoto.

    Olukoya, who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja said this is the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) of NUT against what he described as the continuing default by “these derelict, unpatriotic and self-serving political leadership in these states to pay the long over-due 27.5% Teachers Peculiar Allowance.”

    The strike action, according to him, is to also demand for the payment of the N18, 000 minimum wage by some states.

    The proposed strike, The NUT president vowed will not abate until the union witnessed the payment of the long outstanding package for the teachers, adding that security operatives should ensure that the teachers are not harassed during the strike action.

    His words: “Teachers in the 11 states of Nigeria will commence a total work boycott with effect from June 1, 2013. You will recall that on August 6, 2008, and following a protracted strike by teachers of Nigeria to press home our demands for the recognition and granting of Professional Salary Structure to teachers-popularly called Teachers Salary Structure (TSS). And after all processes had successfully passed through the Joint Consultative Council Reference Committee and the plenary body and with successive passage of the resolution by the National Council on Education, the Federal Government developed cold feet in the implementation, even after the matter had successfully passed for mention at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    “On that day, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) under the leadership of their Excellencies Dr. Bukola Saraki and Arc. Namadi Sambo then, of Kwara and Kaduna States respectively, as Chairman and Secretary of the NGF, did not only enter the affray but successfully negotiated with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and granted 27.5 per cent Teachers Peculiar Allowance and made it payable with effect from January 2009.”

     

  • NUT insists on strike

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers has reaffirmed its decision to proceed on an indefinite strike from June 1 in the states that are yet to implement the 27.5 per cent Teachers Enhanced Allowance.

    NUT National President, Michael Olukoya, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja that the union had resolved that the strike would proceed if nothing was done at the expiration of its deadline.

    According to him, the states are – Benue, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti, and Osun.

    Others are Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Kogi, Niger and Sokoto states.

    Olukoya said the decision to embark on an indefinite strike was taken on April 17 at the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Asaba.

    He said that the Senate Committee on Education had on May 23, invited the union officials and the governors whose states were yet to implement the allowance to a meeting over the threat by the union.

    He said the meeting with the Senate Committee on Education was stalled, adding that the committee had called on the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, to plead with the affected state governors to comply.

    “Also, some of the state governors are yet to implement the N18, 000 minimum wage, which was approved by the Federal Government.

    “For us in the NUT, the strike is the only remaining option left for us now. We have been very patient since 2008,’’ he said.

     

  • NUT to meet Senate committee over strike

    NUT to meet Senate committee over strike

    The Senate Committee on Education will on Thursday meet with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) over the non-implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Enhanced Allowance.

    Also expected at the meeting are the 18 governors whose states are yet to pay the allowance.

    The states are: Benue, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Kogi, Niger and Sokoto.

    The National President of NUT, Mr. Michael Olukoya, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the meeting had become imperative due to plans by the union to embark on strike from June 1.

    Olukoya said the decision to embark on an indefinite strike was taken at the end of the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Asaba on April 17.

    He wondered why some state governments were reluctant to pay the 27.5 per cent allowance and the non-implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage.

    The union had also said the non-implementation amounted to discrimination against teachers, and called on state wings of the union to embark on a stay-at-home strike.

    He said the teachers had been patient enough and stressed that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum approved the new pay structure in 2009.

     

  • NLC backs teachers on planned strike

    NLC backs teachers on planned strike

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed support for the Nigeria Union of Teachers’ proposed indefinite strike over non-payment of their 27.5 per cent enhanced allowance.

    The NLC president, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, made the body’s position known in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The NUT is planning to go on an indefinite strike from June 1.

    He said the 18 states that had yet to pay the allowance defaulted in the agreement reached with labour on the payment.

    “It is the responsibility of the NLC to support the states whenever they think it is time for them to embark on a strike.

    “We have written to the union to furnish us with details of the defaulting states, and I am glad that the union’s National Executive Council took a decision on this,’’ Omar said.

    The defaulting states are Benue, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Nassarawa, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Kogi, Niger and Sokoto.

    The NLC boss said that the congress was also battling with the payment of minimum wage as some states had yet to commence payment.

    He said that the congress had agreed on the modality of payment, adding that the state congress would decide the manner of implementation.