Abia lecturers call off strike

 Abia State University (ABSU),Uturu

Relief came to students of Abia State University (ABSU),Uturu on Thursday as the staff unions of the school suspend their four month old strike after signing an agreement to that effect with the state government. The agreement also signal what could be an end to the closure of universities across the five eastern states by protesting workers.

Chairman of the joint unions of the ABSU and its ASUU chairman, George Chima who confirmed the suspension, said the staff have reached an agreement with the state government to resolve other outstanding differences.

He said the unions have accepted the conditions given by the state government, which he said were favourable to them, while the modalities for the payment of the outstanding arrears of salaries from 2008 are being worked out.

ABSU, along with other state owned universities in the South East, had embarked on an indefinite strike to press for parity in salaries with their counterparts in the federal universities following an agreement between the federal government and the unions to pay an enhanced salary structure for university workers.

The Chief Press Secretary to Abia State governor,Theodore A Orji, Kingsly Emereuwa also confirmed that the agreement that led to the suspension of the strike has been signed but he did not give details.

The last meeting between the striking staff and state officials last month ended with Mr Orji threatening to sack the lecturers if they refused to return to work. He said all those dissatisfied with the conditions of service at the institutionS should quit and not continue to frustrate efforts of his government.

Making concessions

The governor, who said federal institutions are there for lecturers who feel they can no longer stay in ABSU, called on the school's staff to make concessions towards resolving the strike in the interest of the students.

The governor said he has promised to pay 100% of the agreement reached by the unions with effect from January next year.

As part of efforts to resolve the impasse, participants at the meeting, including parents, students and the university management arrived at the conclusion that the striking staff should call off the strike and accept the state government's offer.

They equally agreed that the new wage increase will require an increase in fees paid by students, but it will be minimal so that the parents can afford it.

The return to work by the staff unions will put pressure on their colleagues in other states institutions in the East to follow suit.

Source:234next.com