N30,000 Minimum Wage: State Teachers Threaten Indefinite Strike

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has threatened to commence an indefinite strike in public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa over the N30,000 minimum wage and promotion arrears.

The union took the decision at an executive meeting on October 12, after an earlier three-day warning strike failed to compel the Bayelsa Government to act.

The teachers had given a 14-day ultimatum to the government and local councils to address the plight of teachers across the state or face industrial action.

The grievances, according to the NUT, include the inability of both state and local governments to implement the N30,000 minimum wage and effect promotion of primary school teachers in the state.

The union said teachers were meted with untold hardships due to the non-payment of promotion arrears to the teachers.

NUT expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s continuous negligence of the plight of teachers who played critical roles in the state, in spite of engaging them at different fora in futility.

The union said the attitude of the government had brought nothing but humiliation and frustration to primary and secondary school teachers in the state.

It said the 14-day ultimatum took effect from, October 13 after failure to address the issues within the limit of the ultimatum would force teachers in the state to go on strike.

The strike notice was ratified by the constituent eight local government branches of NUT in Bayelsa.

Signatories to the communique after the meeting included chairmen of LG branches of the union.

Meanwhile, Dr Gentle Emelah, Bayelsa Commissioner for Education, declined comments when contacted as he did not respond to telephone calls and messages requesting the government’s clarification.

NAN reports that schools in Bayelsa had vacated on August 29 due to an expected flood and are slated to resume on November 13.