Justice Suleiman Dikko, the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, says only those who defied the ongoing strike will be paid their salaries. He said the policy of ‘no work no pay,’ will apply to all judicial workers who fail to report to duty.
Justice Dikko, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria through Enoch Ali-Maku, the Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State High Court, said all staff should report to their offices immediately.
He said that in line with labour laws, any worker who took part in a strike was not entitled to any remuneration throughout the period of the strike.
“Only those who defied the ongoing strike will be paid their salaries.
“Only workers that obey the directive by the chief judge and report to their duty post are eligible to receive salaries.’’
All heads of courts were directed to take attendance of those who reported for duty.
In his reaction, Jimoh Musa, State Chairman of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), said the chief judge did not have the right to invoke such policy, adding that the workers were involved on legitimate strike.
He explained that this was part of measures by the management to intimidate the officials of the union and its members into suspending the strike.
According to him, government can only invoke such policy if workers absconded from duty for no just course.
The chairman added that the law had given the union the right to embark on strike to press home their demands.
He called on the workers to ignore whatever threat and continue to remain at home until the government met all their demands.
NAN reports that the union on February 16, embarked on strike, to press for implementation of promotion and annual increments among others.
(NAN)
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