The Academic Staff Union of Tertiary Institutions in Benue State (ASUTIBS) has commenced an indefinite strike action.
Our correspondent reports that the union consists of colleges of education and polytechnics in Benue state.
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Chairman and Secretary of ASUTIBS, Dr Chagba Kurayemen and Dennis Eka, respectively, in a statement, made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday explained that the strike was part of measures to press home their demands for the payment of benefits to their members.
The union is protesting among others the non-payment of five months’ arrears of 2017 salaries, improper implementation of the contributory pension scheme; non-implementation of the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment which should have commenced in 2019.
Meanwhile, a meeting between the state government and ASUTIBS held on Wednesday ended in a deadlock.
Kurayemen insisted that the state government document their appeals and resolutions before the union could back down.
When contacted, the Supervising Commissioner for Education, Godwin Oyiwona, in a text message, said the union was asked to suspend the strike to give room for further negotiations.
“They promised to present the position of the government to their congresses. So we await their resolutions,” he added.
