The strike, according to the Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Bayo Titlola-Sodo who spoke with DAILY POST Friday, was declared in solidarity with primary school teachers who had been on strike since Monday.
The industrial action is coming five days to the end of the second term of the outgoing governor in the state, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi.
NLC had on Wednesday said it had given a 24-hour notice to commence strike and paralyse government activities, few days to the May 29 swearing-in of the new government of Engineer Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
DAILY POST recalls that the strike by primary school teachers, was declared by the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), in the state, Comrade Samson Adedoyin, due to nonpayment of salaries and other entitlement of primary schools teachers in the state on Monday.
Adedoyin, while earlier speaking with DAILY POST on Monday, maintained that the strike became necessary due to the inability of the state government to meet the demands of the union. The teachers had last week, issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Oyo state government to clear and settle backlogs of salaries owed its members.
The union while lamenting over unpaid salaries of primary school teachers, gave the state government a 72-hour notice to go on indefinite strike if the situation is not reversed. The union lamented over complementary allowances of promotions of the teachers.
NUT listed issues worrying the members of the union as non-implementation of the approval and accompany promotion benefits to the primary school teachers by the Oyo State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC).
Others are delay in payment of salary to primary school teachers, delay in the promotion of grade level 14 to 15, continued withholding of 2018 leave grant and delay in the clearance of teachers allegedly accused of illegal promotion.
Titilola-Sodo, while declaring that the strike has commenced, insisted that it can only be called off when the government is ready to listen and fulfil its obligations on the teachers.
The NLC Chairman, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent Friday morning, maintained that the decision to embark on the strike was taken at the union’s meeting.
He said, “The strike has commenced today. It has commenced. It is an indefinite strike.
“We expect all our members to join. We voluntarily and jointly agreed to commece the strike at our meeting after the expiration of the notice we gave the government. Every member of the NLC is expected to join the strike.”
When asked when the strike will be called off, Titilola-Sodo insisted that it can only be called off when the government is ready.
He said, “That one you said, ask the government. We did not serve them the notice today. We have been on it for sometime. Thank you.”
