Lecturers of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, have commenced industrial action to protest the non-payment of their 13 months salary.
To this end, the aggrieved lecturers, under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, RUGIPO chapter, vowed not to participate in the first semester examinations of the school coming up next Tuesday, unless the government did the needful.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the congress of the union, held on Thursday.
The communiqué was signed by the union’s Chairman, Arikawe Ade, and the Secretary, Fapetu Damilola.
According to the communique, members of the union unanimously agreed to withdraw their services at the end of their congress, which meant that the industrial action began on Friday.
The communique read in part, “We want the payment in full of all outstanding (13 months) salary arrears owed the staff of the institution. The congress wishes to strongly emphasize that the decision above is binding on all the financial members of the union.”
It added that the union, before arriving at the decision, observed that the hardship created by the current price of fuel had also made attendance to their official duties difficult