By Margaret John and Ololo Kelvin
The Cross River University if Technology (CRUTECH) and University of Calabar (UCB) chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have resolved to embark on a one week solidarity strike over the failure of the federal government to negotiate the new minimum wage.
The chapter chairman ASUU UCB, Dr. Tony Eyang told CrossRiverWatch in an interview that the resolution was reached at a congress held on Thursday where issues bothering on the strike as it concerns the university were discussed.
He said ASUU is an arm of the labor congress and the chapter was following directives from the national body by holding the congress.
“The congress came as a directive from the national body to announce that ASUU as an affiliate body of the labour union is joining the strike to force the government to fix a tripartite meeting for a new minimum wage,” Eyang said.
Continuing, he said: “The congress was successful and we are all resolved, determined to work with NLC, be with them in this struggle to see that justice is done to the workers.”
CrossRiverWatch also gathered that some members had expressed mixed feelings about the strike action during an interactive session in the congress.
The major issue was that a solidarity strike will disrupt the ongoing examinations in the school which is supposed to end on October 20,_2018.
However, Eyang emphasises in the obligation of the union and averred that: “Our principles are not convenient but they are the compass of the union.”
He sued for strict compliance warning that disciplinary measures will be meted upon defaulters as the union’s monitoring unit will go round to ensure the resolution is adhered to.
Similarly, the CRUTECH ASUU congress which held at the ETF hall of the varsity resolved to go on strike despite ongoing examinations in the institution.
A source who attended the congress, told CrossRiverWatch that; “this action is as the result of the third bulletin received from the national Chairman of the union instructing us to join the warning strike.”
The action is said to have crippled academic and non academic activities in the campus and may affect the compilation of names for the National Youth Service Corps scheme which has a deadline for Sunday.
CrossRiverWatch had reported that schools, banks and public offices were shut on Thursday and Friday.
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