By Gbenga Olarinoye

Osogbo—Academic staff in Osun State government-owned tertiary institutions, have warned the state government over its alleged plans to cut their salaries.

Aregbosola

The workers under the aegies of the Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-owned Tertiary Institutions, CASUOSTI, in a statement issued in Osogbo, said for the months of January and February this year, they were paid a lesser amount in salary to what they have on their pay slip.

CASUOSTI in its statement signed by the chairman, Lasisi Jimoh, secretary, Olusegun Lana and PRO, Dotun Omisore, the unions decried the antics of the state government, describing it as ‘demoralizing and discouragement towards academic improvement.’

The unions stated that they were the least paid and most taxed among all the federal and state polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria, noting that they do not deserve pay cut.

In our efforts to seek justice amicably, we consulted those in government, mostly the chief of staff and head of service in separate meetings.

“At those meetings, Government admitted our position that the financial effects of 2014 promotions and migration of lower cadres are irreversible. We had mutual understanding that our salaries would be paid correctly once the then expected “ bail out” finds were received from the federal government.

“Alas! Now that the much expected bail out funds have been received, the state government has concluded plans to sustain the pay cut contrary to the principle of fair play, equity and collective agreement between our union and the state government.

“Do we deserve to be short paid when all our outstanding salaries, allowances and leave bonuses were duly factored into the amount requested as bail out?