ASUU-AAU Ekpoma Protests over Proposed Cut in Staff Salaries
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University, (AAU) Ekpoma chapter, have staged a protest against the university administration over its proposal to implement a cut in staff salaries.
The congress of the union after their meeting marched to the Office of the Acting Vice-Chancellor to register their protest.
The protesting lecturers alleged that the university administration was directed by the Special Intervention Team (SIT) of the University to implement a proposed cut in the salaries of staff at the university.
The lecturers also alleged that the proposed pay cut was designed to reduce the overall wage bill the University has been grappling with in the regular payment of monthly emoluments of staff.
According to them, since the SIT is unable to meet the mandate of assisting the Edo State Government to generate funds for the University outside the source(s) from government, they (SIT) feel that reducing the wage bill by downward review of allowances in staff emoluments would pacify government and possibly make them attractive or relevant in terms of renewal of their appointment which ends on June 4.
The Congress of the Union condemned the alleged plan by the university administration to cut the salaries of staff and resolved to resist the implementation of the pay cut proposal.
The resolution of congress argued that the basic salary and allowances in the emoluments of staff were products of collective bargaining between the labour unions and government/the university administration and therefore, cannot be altered unilaterally by any of the parties to the agreement.
The union therefore warned that if the pay cut is implemented, it will go on with the local strike approved for the branch on February 14 by the national body of the Union after the suspension of the national strike.
The Union urged the university administration to resolve the issues of outstanding emoluments (salaries, check-off dues and other deductions) of staff for nineteen (19) months instead of further complicating the salary crisis in the University by unjustifiable pay cut plan.
However, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of AAU, Ekpoma, Prof Asowman Sonnie Adagbonyin, who addressed the protesters on behalf of the University Administration denied knowledge of the proposal for a cut in staff salaries and assured the protesters that the said pay cut would not be implemented.
The union used the opportunity to appeal to the Acting Vice-Chancellor to ensure that the “responsibility allowances” for Deans, Directors, Heads of Department/Units, Examination Officers, among others that were unilaterally stopped by the university’s SIT are reinstated.
