The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Delta State Wing, has announced plans to stage a peaceful protest on July 30 over what it described as attempts to divide the union and overturn an agreement reached in 2018.
The union said it had informed the Department of State Services about the planned protest and requested security protection for its members.
In a letter dated July 24 and signed by the State Secretary, Comrade Dan Basime, the NUT said the protest became necessary because of recent developments it believes could threaten industrial peace in the state’s education sector.
The union said its decision followed a meeting held on July 20 by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government with the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools and some stakeholders over the reversal of the ₦500 check-off levy deduction by the Office of the Head of Service.
The NUT, however, expressed displeasure that it was not invited to the meeting.
In a separate letter dated July 23 to the Secretary to the State Government, the union said it was a key stakeholder and signatory to the agreement reached in 2018 and should not have been excluded from discussions affecting the matter.
According to the union, holding such a meeting without its participation could create division and threaten the existing peace within the education sector.
The NUT also maintained that issues relating to trade unions and check-off dues are regulated by federal law and fall under the authority of the Registrar of Trade Unions.
It recalled that during a stakeholders’ meeting convened by former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on August 27, 2018, all parties agreed to a quarterly ₦500 levy, adding that the agreement had not been reviewed or amended since then.
The union warned that any attempt to change the agreement without involving all parties would violate the understanding reached in 2018.
While reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes, the NUT said it remained supportive of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration and its M.O.R.E. Agenda.
As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State Government and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools had not publicly responded to the issues raised by the NUT or its planned protest.
