College workers settle for 70% salary against downsizing

In a bid to resolve issues of salary payment, staff unions in Emmanuel Alayande College of Education (EACOED) Oyo, have settled for payment of 70 per cent salary against downsizing the workforce.

This is part of agreements reached in a communique read by Mr Teslim Adediran, the Registrar and Council Secretary, after a meeting of the governing council and staff unions of the college at the institution.

The meeting was attended by Dr Bisi Akin-Alabi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education; Acting Chairman on the Council, Mr Kayode Omotoso and the Provost, Dr Rasak Adefabi.

Others were representatives of College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCOEN) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).

The academic and non-academic staff of the institution had embarked on industrial action since June 28 over non-payment of their salary arrears, which the governing council was said to have now decided to clear in installments.

The communique said that the unions had agreed to settle for payment of 70 per cent salary as a sacrifice on their part rather than opting for downsizing of staff to guarantee full monthly salary.

It said the unions agreed with the council that the 70 per cent salary should be subjected to review by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Management Committee(RMAMC) as the situation improved.

The communique said that it was agreed the RMAMC must meet quarterly to review the situation.

It admonished members of the various unions to desist from engaging in hate speech, adding it was not only damaging to the system but criminal.

The communique said that the apology letter written by COEASU was accepted by the council.

It added that the meeting agreed that the letter should be re-written to reflect the pledge of COEASU that the ugly incident of Nov. 1 would not repeat itself, while all stakeholders guaranteed peace.

Akin-Alabi appreciated the council, staff unions and students for their cooperation, assuring them of government’s commitment to ensure total transformation of education sector.

The special adviser to the governor, who hinged the cut in the subvention to tertiary institutions on paucity of funds, said government was poised at clearing the salary arrears of workers.

“I am sure you all know the efforts of Gov. Abiola Ajimobi in transforming the education of the state. These efforts have culminated in the successes recorded so far in the sector.

“This state prides itself as the intellectual capital of Nigeria. The restoration and sustenance of this glory is what the governor has been working on since inception.

” He achieved a lot on this and has not relented. I assure you that all measures would be evolved to transform the state to human capital hub, where human capital will be exported,” he said.

The communique was signed by representatives of the state government, governing council and the provost.

The communique was also signed by COEASU Chairman, Mr Segun Oyewunmi, SSUCOEN Chairman, Mr O. S. Adeniji and NASU Chairman, Mr Fatai Adebayo.