Says COFER communique cannot take position of a circular
By: Admin
Labour Unions at the Federal Polytechnic Offa, FEDPOFFA, Kwara State, have expressed displeasure over the institution’s management directive to stop deduction of Union dues.
In a statement jointly signed by FEDPOFFA Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, ASUP, Comrade Moses Atilola and his Non – Teaching Staff Union of Polytechnic, NOTSUP Counterpart, Comrade Oladimeji Rasak, and SSANIP Chairman, Comrade Oyinlola Abdulmajeed, the unions rejected the directive of management of the institution which cited Committee of Federal Rectors, COFER communique.
The COFER communique had earlier called for cessation of union dues deduction and requirement for fresh applications to join the unions.
The unions emphasized that the communique was not a circular, as COFER is not a registered body but rather a group of like-minded individuals exercising their fundamental rights of freedom of assembly.
The statement affirms that the directive contravene Section 5, Sub – section Three and 16A of Trade Union Act in deduction of Union dues.
“We wish to unequivocally state that the decision to stop the deduction of union dues is not within the unilateral powers of the institution management. Such actions contravene the provisions of the Trade Union Act, particularly Sections 5(3) and 16A, and as such, are illegal and unacceptable.Furthermore, we categorically reject the purported “Committee of Rectors” as a legal authority. This body, as presently constituted, is not recognized by any extant law and can, at best, be described as a mere gathering of office holders without statutory backing.
NOTSUP will not stand by and allow this kind of anti-union posture to fester. The Trade Union Act cited by this so-called committee is not exclusive to polytechnic institutions but applies across all higher institutions and labour organizations in Nigeria” the statement argued.
The Committee of Federal Polytechnic Rectors, COFER, at its 37th regular meeting held on 15th of April 2025, and in a communique signed by its Chairman, Prof. Aliyu Mamman mandated all Rectors to obtain written consent from workers before making any deductions from their salaries as check – off dues in favor of any trade union.
“As resolved, I write to respectfully draw your attention to the provisions of the Trade Unions Act, Cap T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended by the Trade Unions (Amendment) Act, 2005), particularly Section 5(3) and Section 16A thereof.
“Section 5(3) of the Act provides that no employer shall make deductions for trade union dues from the wages of any worker who has not expressly consented to the deduction. Furthermore, Section 16A, introduced by the 2005 amendment, stipulates that membership of a trade union shall be voluntary, and no worker shall be forced or compelled to join any trade union” the communique stated.
This prompted the Principal Officers of FEDPOFFA in a release signed by the Registrar, Soko G.O announced that from May, 2025 salary, check – off dues will not be deducted from staff salary without written consent from individual staff.
