Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Academic and Non-Academic Staff of state-owned Tertiary institutions in Bauchi state have declared a two-week warning strike effective Monday, 17th December.
The declaration of the warning strike was announced on Thursday at the end of an emergency meeting of the JAC held at the NUJ Press Center at the end of an earlier 21-day ultimatum issued by JAC on the 19th of November 2024.
The Chairperson of JAC, Comrade Abubakar Ahmed explained that JAC had demanded the implementation of the new salary structure for its members by the state government.
He stressed that the Congress met to assess the level of commitment by the government to an amicable resolution of the issue but lamented that the effort was not encouraging enough.
The JAC Chairperson stated that the Committee acknowledged the “meagre addition to the salaries of members in the November payment which he said fell short of the expectations of the members.
“However, this falls short of its expectations and demands for the full implementation of all the contents of the salary tables as approved by the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission. The only body recognised by the government to sign salaries of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“Consequently, the Congress has rejected in totality, the current table used by the Bauchi State government for the payments of November 2024 salaries for the tertiary institutions.”
The JAC also frowned at the attitude of the government for not engaging its leadership throughout the period of ultimatum to resolve the issues at stake. The Congress therefore resolved to proceed on the two-week warning strike commencing on Monday, 16th December 2024.
“Upon the expiration of the two-week warning strike, the Congress will convene to decide on the next line of action. Therefore call on its members across the state, that is College of Education, Azare and Kangere, College of Education, Legal and General Studies, Misau, Tatari Ali Polytechnic, and College of Agriculture to ensure total compliance with these directives.”
The JAC sympathised with its When to teaming students, parents and the general public for any inconvenience the industrial action might cause.