Leaders of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) have resolved to sustain their over one- month old strike despite call by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, that the strike be called off.
Justice Muhamad had, after meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige on Tuesday, urged the striking court workers to end their action to allow for further negotiations over implementation of financial autonomy for the Judiciary.
Rising from it National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the union commended the CJN, Ngige and others for their interventions but resolved to sustain the industrial action.
In a communiqué signed by the National Deputy President, Comrade Emmanuel Abioye and General Secretary, I. M. Adetola, JUSUN vowed “to continue with the ongoing industrial acton until the provision of the constitution in contention is fully complied with as the provisions of the constitution are non negotiable.”
It resolved to “deal with any state found not fully complying with its directive on the ongoing strike action while commending members to remain resolute.”
The union warned that no member of any branch or chapter of the union should be victimised on account of this ongoing strike.
JUSUN frowned at the conduct of some state Chief Judges, who it noted, were uncooperative and working against the cause the union was fighting.
“NEC-in-session frowns at the attitude of some state Chief Judges on their anti-constitutional disposition on the full implementation of the financial autonomy of the Judiciary.”
It condemned the decision by the Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai to declare the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba wanted.
The group said it was unhappy with “the continued anti-labour disposition of the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and therefore demands for immediate payment of the withheld August 2020 salary and release of check off dues accruing to the union.”
The Nation