The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions has declared an indefinite strike action, commencing today, March 10, 2025.
This decision was reached after extensive deliberations and consultations among the unions, following the management’s inability to address the longstanding issues of non-implementation of the approved 25/35% salary increase and the new minimum wage for workers in the Polytechnics and College of Education sector.
The affected institutions are The Polytechnic, Ibadan, the Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora and Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate
Despite numerous efforts and meetings since January 2024, no meaningful progress has been made towards resolving these issues. The unions had previously declared an industrial dispute on the new minimum wage and conducted a two-day warning strike on February 6 and 7, 2025, but these actions did not yield any positive results.
This was made known in a statement signed by Dr. Kola Lawal, Chairman of the JAC and Comr. Fatai Akeem Abiola, Secretary of the JAC.
The statement read in part: “The inability to implement the approved wage structure has left our members in a dire situation. We have been patient and have given the government enough time to address our concerns, but it seems they are not taking us seriously.
“The economic realities in Nigeria, coupled with the rising costs of attending conferences and publishing academic papers necessary for career progression and program accreditation, have made it increasingly difficult for our members to meet their basic needs.”
The JAC is demanding the immediate implementation of the approved new minimum wage, including the earlier approved 25/35% salary increase for workers in Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions, and an increase in the subvention released to the institutions.
The unions are calling on Governor Oluseyi Makinde to intervene and ensure that the welfare of workers in the state-owned tertiary institutions is prioritized.
“We are calling on the governor to use his good offices to address the issues raised by the unions. The welfare of our members is crucial to the development of education in Oyo State,” it added.
The indefinite strike will continue until the demands of the unions are met and the welfare of their members is guaranteed.
The JAC remains open to meaningful discussions and negotiations with the relevant authorities to resolve the issues and ensure that the workers can return to their duties with their dignity and welfare restored.
