Disregard Threats Of Sack, JUSUN Tells Striking Members

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Nasarawa State chapter has urge members of the union to disregard any threat of sack by the management, adding because the action is legitimate and due process was follow before the strike.

The union also said strike notices was given to the management through the Judicial Service Commission and others on the cause of the dispute.

Chairman of JUSUN in Nasarawa state, comrade Jimoh Musa Alonge who spoke with reporters said the national headquarters of the union are aware of all correspondences between the management and the union.

According to comrade Jimoh Musa, even the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba was briefed on the impasse, and had to intervene when security personnel are hunting members of the union in the state over the strike.

 

He however described as blackmailed, misleading and intimidating; a paid announcement by the Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC), alleging that the ongoing industrial action by members of the union in the state is illegal.

He furthers  accused the Chief Judge of the state and JSC Chairman, Justice Sulaiman Dikko of sponsoring a paid announcement carried by the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS), that the action by the workers is illegal.

The public statement, issued after the regular meeting of Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on 19^th November 2018, stated clearly that there was no demand of the union that had not been addressed by the commission.

The JSC also claimed that there was no disagreement between the union and the management, adding that there was no need for the strike since the union failed to serve notices of strike before embarking on the action.

But in a statement by the branch chairman of JUSUN, Comrade Jimoh Musa Alonge, the union said the JSC statement is contradictory and confusing, considering a letter by the JSC secretary written to the union on August 28, 2018 as a reply to an earlier letter the union wrote on August 23^rd, 2018 as a reminder for non implementation of the JSC report of the committee to investigate the propriety or otherwise of the deduction in salary of staff of high court of Justice.

The union in the letter addressed to the Chief Judge and copied the Executive Secretary of JSC, the grand Kadi, Sharia Court of Appeal, Lafia and others, said JUSUN embarked on an industrial action on the 8^th of February, 2018 over management and JSC inability to meet the demands of the union.

Comrade Jimoh disclosed that the demands include lifting of embargo on staff conversion /advancement, lifting of embargo on staff in service training, stoppage of deductions on staff of High Court salary and refund of same and implementation of the financial implication promotion and annual increment.

 

According to him, all these demands and others have not been met, adding that JUSUN in her letter gave the management between August 23 and September 23, 2018 to effect the first stanza of the recommendations to avoid another possible industrial dispute.

 

However the JSC letter with ref No S/JSC/OFF/91/VOL.3/XXX dated August 28, 2018, and signed by the Executive Secretary, Hafsat Turaki Sanda, ESQ, said ‘’I hereby write and notify you that the Judicial Service Commission is in receipt of your letter dated 23, August 2018 over inability of the management of High Court of Justice and JSC , but the Hon. Chief Judge is away on a trip to perform the Hajj exercise. Therefore, we solicit for your kind understanding and cooperation, pending his return.

The chairman further disclosed that contrary to the false information being peddle by the JSC that the union did not issue strike notice, he said the union on the 1^st November, 2018 after its emergency exco meeting resolved to stage a peaceful protest since the management is adamant on the workers plights.

According to him, following other pending issues including the scraping and merger of Customary Court of Appeal with the High Court of Justice, which had become a thing of concern to the workers, the union resolved to stage a peaceful protest on the 13^th of November 2018 to force the state government to rescind its decision on the scraping and merger.

He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, JUSUN in the state has notified the management accordingly on her grievances. But rather than dialogue with the workers, the management has resorted to harassment and intimidation of our members.

 

“Strike and protest are the exclusive right of a worker in the event of industrial dispute, which the management refuses to resolve through dialogue.

“We want to state categorically that the National Headquarters of JUSUN as well the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  are solidly behind the ongoing action by the union and no amount of attacked and intimidation on our members can deterred JUSUN resolved to defend her right as enshrine in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Trade Union Act.

“We also urge our members in the state to stay back in their homes as the ongoing strike have not been suspended until all our demand are met.”

End.