Osun Lecturers Demand CONPOCASS Arrears From 2009

[Defender]

Academic workers in Osun State-owned tertiary institutions have demanded for payment of the arrears of the Consolidated Polytechnic Colleges of Education Salary Structure (CONPOCASS) from 2009, as a condition to accept the 75 per cent increment/implementation offer from the state government.

At the last meeting held with the workers, leaders of the Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Tertiary Institutions, (CASUOSTI), demanded the payment of the CONPOCASS arrears from 2009, saying that meeting the demands would compliment the offer of the state government.

The same demand was made by the non-academic staff in all the state-owned tertiary institutions, according to sources at the meeting, headed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.

However, the state government turned down the demands of the workers on the ground that the purse of the government could not accommodate the demands, saying that the government could only pay the arrears from August this year.

The state government however pleaded with the workers to accept the 75 per cent increment offer, as a starting point, with a promise that the government would complete the 25 percent increment, as soon as the economy of the state improves.

However, the plea of the state government fell on the deaf  hears of the academic and non-academic staff, as they insisted that they would not call off the strike until the government meets their demands.

All the negotiation meetings between the academic and non-academic staff of the state-owned tertiary institutions and the state governmenthad ended in a deadlock, as the three parties could not reach an agreement.

The lecturers had on August 10, 2011, embarked on an indefinite strike action, on their agitation for the implementation of CONPOCASS and other demands from the state government.

The agitation for the implementation of the CONPOCASS began early 2009, even as the ousted Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola failed to implement it.

Meanwhile, Osun State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has called on the workers in the four state-owned tertiary institutions, to call off their three-month old strike action, in the interest of the students.

The state ACN then urged the academic and non-academic workers of the institutions, to respect the decision of the state government to implement the 75 percent implementation of the Consolidated Polytechnic Colleges of Education Salary Structure (CONPOCASS).

According to ACN, in a press statement signed by the Chairman of the party, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, the state government would implement the remaining 25 percent of the CONPOCASS, as soon as the income of the state increases.

Adebiyi, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Monday, charged the workers to be reasonable and considerate in their demands, saying that Governor Rauf Aregbesola's promise to promote functional education would be fulfilled to the letter.

The prolonged industrial action has paralyzed academic activities in the affected institutions, just as the students have equally been lamenting the development.

While pleading with both the workers and the state government, the students warned the two parties against toying with their future, as the industrial action has been lasting more than necessary.

Osun Defender