Oyo state tertiary institutions declare indefinite strike

Academic and non-academic staff of five Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions have commenced an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the approved 25/35% salary increase and new minimum wage.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC), which represents about 15 staff unions across these institutions, announced the strike on Monday, March 10, 2025, after repeated negotiations with the state government failed to yield results.

The affected institutions include:

The Polytechnic, Ibadan

The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki

Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa

Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora

Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate

In a statement, JAC said the decision to down tools followed months of unsuccessful engagements with the government and the institutions’ management. The unions accused the authorities of failing to implement the salary increase, which has been in effect for their counterparts in federal institutions and some other state-owned universities like Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education.

The committee highlighted that members have been struggling with economic realities, rising living costs, and expenses required for career progression, including attending conferences and publishing academic papers.

JAC also noted that previous measures, including a two-day warning strike on February 6 and 7, 2025, and multiple notices, yielded no results. Even after granting an additional three-day window for intervention on March 5, the government and institutions allegedly failed to take meaningful action.

The unions are demanding:

1. Immediate implementation of the new minimum wage and the approved 25/35% salary increase for workers in Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions.

2. An increase in the subvention released to institutions to help them meet their financial obligations.

JAC emphasized that the strike was a last resort after all efforts to resolve the matter through dialogue failed. They called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and ensure that the welfare of education workers is prioritized.

The strike will remain in effect until the state government meets their demands.