The Joint Union of Plateau State-Owned Tertiary Institutions (JUPTI) has issued a fresh warning to the Plateau State Government, threatening to begin an indefinite strike from Monday if its demands are not met.
The union said the decision followed the breakdown of negotiations with government representatives during a meeting held on Friday, which ended without any agreement.
Negotiations collapse
According to JUPTI, the talks were part of efforts to resolve longstanding issues affecting staff welfare across state-owned tertiary institutions. However, both parties failed to reach a compromise, deepening tensions between workers and the government.
The union had earlier issued a series of ultimata, including a 48-hour deadline after previous engagements did not yield concrete results.
Key demands
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, JUPTI Chairman, Comrade Yohanna Igyem, said the union had been patient since 2024, but the government had yet to address critical demands.
He listed some of the unresolved issues to include the implementation of salary increases of 25% and 35% for staff of tertiary institutions, as well as the domestication of the Polytechnic Act, 2029.
Other concerns include the delay in issuing employment letters to staff at the College of Agriculture, Garkawa, and the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST), Kurgwi.
Ultimatum issued
JUPTI recalled that several deadlines had already been given to the government, including a 14-day ultimatum in January and a seven-day ultimatum in March, both of which led to meetings that ended without resolution.
The union also noted that a scheduled meeting in April was postponed indefinitely, which further heightened frustration among members.
Following its emergency meeting on Thursday, JUPTI issued a final 48-hour ultimatum running from Friday to Monday midnight.
Strike warning
Comrade Igyem warned that if the outstanding issues are not resolved within the timeframe, members will embark on an indefinite strike without further notice.
The planned action is expected to affect academic activities across Plateau State-owned tertiary institutions if no last-minute agreement is reached between both parties.
