The Joint Union of Academic Staff Unions of Plateau State Tertiary Institutions (JUASPTI) has suspended its three-month old strike.

Mr Simji Lumpye, the Chairman of the union announced this in a statement on Friday in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the joint union had on Sept. 17 begun an indefinite strike to press home their demands.

The unions claimed that the state government did not honour its agreement with the union on issues of welfare and sorry state of the state’s owned tertiary institutions, among other pertinent issues.

Lumpye, however, said that having reached a certain level of truce with government, the union at the end of congresses of its various affiliates on Dec. 15, agreed to return to work.

“You may recall that on Sept. 17, JUAPSTI had embarked on an indefinite industrial action following the inability of government to abide by an agreement it earlier signed with it on issues that infringed on the survival of our institutions and the welfare of our members.

“To us, the strike would have been avoidable if the issues were given any serious consideration by government after it unnecessarily dragged the matter for too long and expended the goodwill the union had accorded it.

“In clear terms, the issues were simple and only required the right steps for resolution but insincerity in handling them lingered for longer than necessary.

“However, we are delighted that on Dec. 15, having reviewed and accepted the positive steps and progress attained by the government and received the endorsement of our congresses, we agreed with the terms for the suspension of the strike action.

“Some of steps taking include the consolidation of salaries of the tertiary institutions, the full payment of all third party deductions (Cooperative and Union dues) and subsequent ones to be paid alongside salaries.

“Also, the submission of a list of enrolled couples by various institutions for exemption in the state Contributory Health Management Scheme (PLASCHEMA) if both work with the state government and the constitution of a board for the agency.

“Others are adoption of the minimum wage salary table signed on March 17, 2020 for implementation in January 2022, while government looks into the issue of peculiar allowance, staff recruitment/promotion upon the conclusion of Nde John Gobak committee’s assignment and non-victimisation of staff for their roles in the strike,” he said.

The chairman thanked all parties that waded into the matter for their concerted efforts that led to the end of industrial impasse.

He expressed the hope that the terms of the agreement would remain the bond upon which a new future for state owned institutions and education in general in state would be anchored.

He commended the doggedness of the union members, the understanding of the teeming students and their parents and the public in their bid to salvage the tertiary institutions in the state from total collapse.

-NAN