The National President of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Marwan Adamu, on Monday, said all the organs of the union would meet to review and take necessary action following the feedback from the ongoing strike.
Adamu stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, while reacting to reports that workers of the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council, NJC, had pulled out of the industrial action declared by the national body.
Recall that JUSUN’s national body had, on May 30 in a circular by its acting National Secretary, M.J. Akwashiki, asked all its chapters’ chairmen effective from midnight Sunday, June 1, to direct all their members to stay at home.
It said that the directive followed unfruitful meetings in the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment who was conciliating on their matter.
“We believe that as directed by the organs of the union, National Working Committee, NWC, and National Executive Council, NEC, of our great union, the action will continue until further notice.
“Our demands are for the government to pay us our five months wage award, implement the N70.000 National Minimum Wage, as well as the 25/35 per cent salary increase,”; JUSUN had said.
However, when NAN visited the Supreme Court on Monday, business activities were going on unhindered and courts were also sitting.
Besides, at the NJC, the office was not shut down as a result of the industrial action.
Reacting, Adamu said that there was no division in the leadership of JUSUN.
On why the workers at the Supreme Court and NJC refused to join the strike, Adamu said: “There are leaders of the JUSUN chapter at the Supreme Court, you should have asked them.
“They are in the position to tell you why they are not complying. We have agreed to go on a strike. It is not an individual matter; it is a decision of the organ. If one of the organs is not complying, it is their duty to tell you why they are not complying,”; he said.
According to him, it is not an issue of division. The president reminded that the judiciary workers at the state level were not part of the ongoing industrial action because their demands did not affect them.
“Why we are on strike is because the implementation of the minimum wage and wage award have not been effected. We have given approval to chapters to proceed on strike as demanded. So if any chapter decides to pull out, it is left for them to tell you because he who asserts must prove.
“The onus of why they are not joining is on them and not me. As far as the national body is concerned, they came up with the problems, we looked at it, we followed all due processes. We gave 21 days ultimatum, it has expired. We gave 14 days, it has expired. We gave seven days, it expired And they sought approval to proceed on strike. Collectively, on a document they signed, and we have given them.
“So if today, they decided to pull out, it is for them to say why they pulled out,”; he added.
Adamu said all the organs of the union would meet to review the level of compliance.
