Teachers to Embark on Indefinite Strike over Minimum Wage and Promotion Arrears

The teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa have resolved to commence an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage and the non-payment of promotion arrears by the state and local governments.

The decision was taken at an executive meeting of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on October 12, following a three-day warning strike that yielded no positive response from the authorities.

The NUT said it had given a 14-day ultimatum to the government and local councils to address the plight of teachers across the state or face industrial action.

The ultimatum took effect from October 13 and would expire on October 27. If the issues are not resolved by then, the teachers would down tools and stay away from classrooms until their demands are met.

The union lamented the untold hardships faced by the teachers due to the non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage and the non-effectuation of promotion of primary school teachers in the state.

It said teachers were being humiliated and frustrated by the government’s continuous negligence of their critical roles in the state, despite engaging them at different fora in futility.

The union said it had exhausted all avenues of dialogue and negotiation with the government and local councils, but to no avail. It said it had no other option but to embark on an indefinite strike to press home its demands.

The strike notice was ratified by the constituent eight local government branches of NUT in Bayelsa. The signatories to the communique after the meeting included chairmen of LG branches of the union.

Meanwhile, Dr Gentle Emelah, Bayelsa Commissioner for Education, declined comments when contacted as he did not respond to telephone calls and messages requesting the government’s clarification.

The schools in Bayelsa had vacated on August 29 due to an expected flood and are slated to resume on November 13. However, this may be affected by the impending strike action by the teachers.

Newsflash Nigeria is an online newspaper that is developed and written exclusively for Nigerians. It’s packed with up-to-the-minute Local and National Economy News, Share & Capital Market, Health, Sports, Education, Technology, Business and Opinions.

To make further advert enquiries or place an order, please contact us at [email protected] and +2348053316946 and WhatsApp number 08033546732