The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has summoned an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union for Tuesday October 29, 2019 over the notice of industrial action due to pending dispute with the government.
The union had on October 10, 2019 give 21 day ultimatum for government among other issues include non implementation of the Federal Polytechnics Act 2019, attempt to forcefully enroll ASUP members into the integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), continued victimisation of union officers etc.
Speaking on the development, ASUP president Comrade Usman Dutse said, “We just finished meeting with the Director of IPPIS and his team, they came and made presentation that indicates an arrangement or a template that captured our affairs, because in the series of meetings had with them, we have identified our peculiarities which needs to be addressed.
“In the meeting held, they have made that presentation, which indicated that they have captured those peculiarities, and they promised that this arrangement all our affairs and we believe that what they said is going to be implemented because that assurance is given with the presentation made.
“We believe that governments on their own side have promised to address those issues and we hope that it is going to be executed as agreed and as presented. From now, we’re going back to our Congresses, our National Executive Council meeting to present what we have received here whether it would guide our subsequent decision and action.
“The peculiarities, particularly the issue of retirement age, 65 years have been captured, issue of allowances has also been indicated it has been addressed, sabbatical, part time, visiting has also been addressed. The issue of payment of promotion, promotion arrears has also been indicated. Our believe is that those things are going to be executed as presented”.
Also speaking the National Public Relations officer of the union Comrade Chris Nkoro said the NEC meeting of the ASUP is meeting tomorrow Tuesday to brief the members on the development so far.
According to him, “the generality has come of the view that because of the adjustment they have also made on the template in capturing those peculiarities, we think that we can enroll on the IPPIS. The important thing is that what they are giving us, let them also put it into practice. We also asked for the module backing up the data they have given us, that was also agreed.”
