Ondo, varsity unions reach agreement over wage dispute – Gov’s aide

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. Photo: Ondo State Government House

The Ondo State Government and tertiary institution unions have reached an agreement on the implementation of the new Federal Government and university unions’ wage structure and allowances.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan.

The agreement followed a series of meetings between officials of the state government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the leadership of labour unions in state-owned universities.

According to the statement, the unions involved in the meeting included the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, National Association of Academic Technologists, and Non-Academic Staff Union.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that academic and non-academic unions in the three Ondo State-owned universities are currently on a total and indefinite strike over unpaid allowances to members.

The statement said the meeting addressed outstanding issues relating to salary adjustments, allowances and other welfare matters affecting workers in the state-owned universities.

It added that a major resolution was the approval by Aiyedatiwa for the full domestication of the Federal Government-ASUU agreement on the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure for academic staff of state-owned universities.

According to the statement, implementation of the resolution will take into account the peculiarities of the state.

It said that during the meeting, Aiyedatiwa described education as a cardinal priority of his administration, with a promise to the unions of his commitment to sustain industrial harmony in the state’s tertiary institutions.

“Our administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of workers, especially in the education sector, because we understand that a motivated workforce is key to academic excellence.

“We have approved the FGN-ASUU pact for our universities because we want our institutions to compete favourably and our staff to be at par with their counterparts elsewhere,” the statement read.

It said that the government would continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that the state’s tertiary institutions remained centres of excellence without incessant industrial action.

According to the statement, the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, chapter of ASUU, while speaking on behalf of the unions, commended Aiyedatiwa for approving the FGN-ASUU agreement for the state universities.