Colleges of Education lecturers begin 4-week strike

By Stephen Gbadamosi

The National Executive Council of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has commenced a four-week strike, effective from Tuesday 14th June.

The strike action was disclosed to journalists in a communique signed by COEASU president, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, and general secretary, Dr. Ahmed Bazza Lawan, DailyTimes gathered.

The union requested that the Federal Government “attend to lingering demands.”

The statement read that “total strike action suspended by the union, in December 2018, will be resumed immediately for four weeks in the first instance.

“The National Executive Council (NEC) shall reconvene after the four weeks of strike action to re-assess the level of government’s commitment on the issues for an appropriate decision on the way forward thenceforth.

“Every chapter congress across the federation should convene on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 to adequately inform the congress of the commencement of the strike action due to the festering issues and the status of inaction, leading to the industrial action.

READ ALSO: 2023: PDP Reps group meets, considers Wike, others as…

“Leadership of the union at all levels (national, zonal and chapters) should embark on an emphatic media campaign towards seamless public awareness on the issues leading to the strike action.”

The union added that the work-to-rule would be total.

“The strike action shall be total and all members of the academic staff in all Colleges of Education (both federal and states) must withdraw from all statutory duties without exemption.

“All state-owned colleges already on industrial action to press home local demands should impress on their respective managements that the local strike shall continue in the unexpected event that their local issues remain unresolved by the end of the nationwide strike.

“Vice presidents/zonal coordinators shall monitor the compliance of chapters in their respective zones, while defaulting chapters shall be prevented from enjoying the gains of the struggle and earn themselves other sanctions as NEC shall deem applicable, based on normal union regulations pertaining to collective bargaining,” the union said.