Workers of state-owned tertiary institutions in Taraba have commenced a two-week warning strike to protest the Taraba State Government’s failure to address their welfare and administrative demands.
The industrial action is being led by the Joint Action Committee of Tertiary Institutions in Taraba State (JACTI). The union announced the move to press home its grievances against the state administration, stating that previous attempts to resolve the issues through dialogue had proven unsuccessful.
The strike is expected to disrupt academic activities, including lectures, examinations, and administrative operations, across all state-owned higher institutions in the state.
Failure to meet worker demands
The decision to embark on the warning strike follows what union leaders describe as a breakdown in communication and a lack of commitment from the state government. According to JACTI, the workers had presented several demands aimed at improving working conditions and addressing long-standing issues, but these remained unfulfilled.
The workers maintained that the strike action became the only option because the state government failed to meet their demands despite repeated engagements.
In the Nigerian tertiary education sector, industrial actions by staff unions are a recurring challenge, often stemming from disputes over unpaid allowances, promotion exercises, and inadequate funding for institutions. While the specific list of demands in Taraba has not been fully detailed by the union, the threat of a full-scale strike remains if the current warning period does not yield a resolution.
Students and faculty members in the affected institutions now face uncertainty regarding the academic calendar. Many institutions are currently in the middle of critical semester activities, and a prolonged stoppage could lead to significant delays in graduation and academic progression.
As of the time of this report, the Taraba State Government has not issued an official response to the strike declaration. The two-week period serves as a final notice to the administration to engage in meaningful negotiations before the union considers more drastic measures.
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