From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Teachers in Ebonyi State under the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, have threatened to embark on industrial strike, if the new minimum wage is not fully implemented.
The decision was reached during an emergency meeting of the State Wing Executive Council, SWEC, held yesterday in Abakaliki.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Acting Secretary-General, Odinaka Nwankwo, the teachers commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for his developmental strides across the state, particularly in the area of workers welfare.
However, the union condemned what it described as salary disparity between SUBEB teachers and other state workers.
According to them, while the approved minimum wage of N90,000 is being paid to other workers, SUBEB teachers receive N70, 000, a situation which they said violates the provisions of the constitution.
The union also expressed concern over an executive order directing directors who have served eight years to proceed on compulsory retirement, insisting that the policy contradicts the Harmonised Teachers Retirement Act of 2022, which exempts teachers.
They decried their exclusion from the 2023 and 2024 Christmas bonuses approved by the state government.
The teachers resolved to embark on industrial action at the end of 2025 if the full minimum wage is not implemented and outstanding salary arrears from September to December are not paid.
Aljazirah reports that the State Wing Executive Council meeting was attended by representative of teachers across the 13 local government areas.
