Research Institutes in Ibadan on Wednesday joined their counterparts across the country in the strike declared by the Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sector Unions (JORAISU).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER), the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) joined the strike which began at midnight.
Others that joined the strike are the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria and the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN).
Mr Muyiwa Babatimehin, Chairman, NISER chapter of Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes (ASURI) said ASURI and the Non-Academic Staff Union also joined the strike.
He told the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Senior Staff Association of Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRAI) also joined.
Babatimehin said JORAISU embarked on the strike to demand for adequate funding of research institutes and release of Schemes and Conditions of Service.
He said the Condition of Service operational at the moment guaranteed the skipping of salary Grade Level 10, so workers could go to salary Grade Level 11 from salary Grade Level 09.
He explained that the arrangement was recently reversed by the Federal Government and the unions are demanding the status quo.
“JORAISU is also demanding the establishment of a central supervisory agency for research institutes to be known as the National Research Institutes Commission (NARICOM),’’ he said.
Babatimehin also said that NISER’s main gate would remain shut between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily throughout the duration of the indefinite strike.
“We enjoin the management to impress it upon the Federal Government, the need to look into the demands of JORAISU and act accordingly,’’ he stressed.
Solomon Abodunrin, Chairman, IAR&T chapter of SSAUTHURIAI, said the demands had been presented to the Federal Government since 2010, but the latter had not done anything.
“Series of meetings were held with no result; some of our agitations are on non-payment of peculiar allowances/earned allowances and inadequate funding of research institutes.
“Our branch is in total support of the strike as members have been directed to stay at home,’’ he said.
Dr Kayode Ayegboyin, the CRIN chapter chairman of ASURI also told NAN that CRIN complied with the directive for the strike with workers boycotting their duty posts.
(NAN)