Plateau tertiary institutions union threatens strike over unmet demands

The Joint Union of Plateau State-owned Tertiary Institutions (JUPTI) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike by Monday if their demands for salary increment and other issues are not met by the state government.

The threat followed a deadlock in negotiations between the government and the union on Friday, after an earlier 48-hour ultimatum was issued to the government via a letter to the Head of Service on Thursday.

Attempts to salvage the situation prompted the meeting on Friday between both parties, which “ended in deadlock”.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, JUPTI Chairman, Comrade Yohanna Igyem, vowed that they will embark on the strike, saying they have been patient with the government over their obligatory demands which it has failed to meet.

“The contending issues dated back since 2024 without fruitful resolutions. The key issues are the non-implementation of 25% and 35% salary increment for staff of tertiary institutions, the non-domestication of Polytechnic Act, 2029, the non-release of employment letters at College of Agriculture Garkawa and College of Arts Sciences and Technology (CAST) Kurgwi, among other issues.

“We issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Head of Service on the 9th January, 2026, and government invited the union for a meeting without fruitful results.

“The union, again decided to issues a 7-day ultimatum to the government dated 6th March, 2026 and the government invited union for a meeting and pleaded for extension of time to enable it conclude negotiations with the Union.”

“After a month, government therefore, invited the union for meeting scheduled for Thursday, 16th April, 2026 and later rescheduled the meeting to 21st April, 2026 and was suddenly postponed indefinitely without a new date.

“JUPTI at its emergency meeting held on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026 issues a 48-hour ultimatum with effect from Friday, 24th April, 2026 to Monday, 27th April, 2026 midnight to address all the outstanding demands of the Union and failure to do so, the Union will be left with no other option but rather to proceed on an indefinite strike without further notice,” he said.