Nasarawa State Union Threatens Strike Over Unpaid Arrears and Minimum Wage

The Joint Union of Nasarawa State Tertiary Institutions (JUNSTI) has issued a strong call to the state government, demanding the immediate implementation of the payment of promotion arrears, an annual increment of N30,000, and the agreed N70,500 minimum wage for workers in the state’s tertiary institutions.

In a letter addressed to Governor Abdullahi Sule, dated January 15, 2025, the union warned that failure to address these issues alongside the January 2025 salaries would lead to industrial action.

The letter, signed by JUNSTI Chairman Gbande Samson Kale, highlighted that previous correspondences on the matter, including letters sent in November 2024, had gone unanswered. The union has now set a deadline for the state government to resolve these issues.

The union emphasized that the N70,500 minimum wage had already been agreed upon and signed by the state government and organized labor but has yet to be implemented. Additionally, the N30,000 annual increment and pending promotion arrears have not been paid.

JUNSTI’s ultimatum is a reflection of growing discontent among staff in the state’s tertiary institutions, who accuse the government of failing to honor agreements that were meant to improve their working conditions.

The union warned that failure to act on these demands could lead to a shutdown of academic and administrative activities in the affected institutions. At the time of filing, the state government had not responded to the union’s letter.