The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union has said that its members will not be intimidated by the Federal Government’s no-work-no-pay rule of the Federal Government, Punchng report.
The union, in a statement addressed to lecturers in federal colleges of education across the country, claimed that its members had been receiving “fractional and mutilated salaries” for some years.
It described the government’s decision not to pay striking lecturers as a sign of insensitivity to the labour force of the country.
The COEASU National President, Mr Nuhu Ogirima, in the release obtained by our correspondent, called on all the members of the Union across the country to prepare for a prolonged battle.
He said, “As we conclude the first phase of the national strike, we urge you all not to be distracted by the intimidation and threat posed by the government’s no-work-no-pay rule. The threat should rather strengthen our resolve that we have had enough of exploitative work. It is rather no pay, no work.
“So, we are braced up for a prolonged battle. If we refuse to stand for the colleges of education system now, we may not get it right again.
“How will the Federal Government justify its refusal to implement the 2014 Needs Assessment report on the 70 public Colleges of Education, when it began the implementation of same report for other tertiary institutions in 2015? What justification does the government have to refuse the full implementation of CONTISS 15 by denying the lower cadre of the colleges of education?”
The COEASU president also noted that there had been no commensurate adjustment in salaries since the pump price of fuel was “adjusted astronomically.” He added that the lecturers had been impoverished by the non-payment of their entitlements.
