A three-day warning strike has been announced by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnic, but it is just a warning action by the body.
The association is taking this step to kick against an alleged threat to the career progression of its members.
In a letter to the Nigerian Ministry of Labour, the National Board for Technical Education and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the senior staff of Polytechnics said the strike will commence on Wednesday, January 22, 2024.
The letter signed by Ura Gaya, the National Secretary, said the body tried to secure government attention, engagement and discussion to no avail.
It said its industrial action would begin from midnight of Wednesday, January 22, 2025 and end on Friday, January 24, 2025, at the first instance.
“This action has become imperative to further emphasise our position concerning the ongoing plot by certain stakeholders to unjustly deprive non-teaching staff of polytechnics and similar institutions of their rightful progression to the peak of their careers on CONTEDISS 15 on the ongoing redrafting of the Polytechnic Schemes of Service.
“SSANIP has consistently championed the cause of equity and justice within the Polytechnic system and has repeatedly called for the implementation of career progression policies that accommodate both teaching and non-teaching staff.
“Regrettably, our previous engagements with relevant authorities have yielded little to no tangible results, and the current machinations against non-teaching staff represent a direct affront to these efforts.
“This strike is, therefore, a warning to underscore the seriousness of our grievances and our unwavering commitment to ensuring that non-teaching staff are not marginalised or denied their deserved career progression, which, if heeded, will not in any way be a deprivation to the teaching staff, as both cadres of workers have distinct salary structures,” the letter stated.
The association said it was not averse to consultation and engagement as it seeks to strengthen polytechnic education in the country.
