The Abia State Chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has announced it will join in the nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The industrial action, set to begin on December 4, 2024, stems from the alleged non-implementation of the national minimum wage and salary adjustments for judiciary workers in the state.
Comrade Chibueze Nwachukwu, the State Secretary of JUSUN, confirmed the decision, emphasizing that it aligns with directives from both the NLC and JUSUN’s national leadership. He explained that judiciary workers in Abia remain excluded from the benefits of the new minimum wage and the Consolidated Judicial Salary Structure (CONJUSS), unlike their counterparts in other sectors.
Nwachukwu stated that previous assurances from the state government to address these grievances, including wage adjustments and payment of arrears, have not been fulfilled. This, he said, leaves the union with no choice but to comply with the national directive. “We are yet to receive the minimum wage adjustments meant for judiciary workers. This is why we are obeying the national directive to embark on this industrial action,” he noted.
Despite the strike being mandated by JUSUN’s national headquarters, the decision has sparked differing views among judiciary staff in the state. Architect Onyekachi Ndukwe, a judiciary worker, criticized the action, describing it as unwarranted. He argued that the state government had already met the salary demands, including implementing the CONJUSS structure. “Embarking on a strike now is unnecessary and amounts to sabotage,” Ndukwe asserted, adding that such disruptions could hinder ongoing efforts to resolve disputes.
The state chapter of the NLC previously claimed that the Abia State Government had implemented the minimum wage for civil servants. However, Nwachukwu clarified that this adjustment applies only to public service workers and not judiciary staff, who are paid under a distinct salary structure. “The state NLC chairman’s statement about compliance does not cover us in the judiciary. We are paid under a separate salary structure, which has not been adjusted,” he explained.
With the strike imminent, all eyes are on the Abia State Government and JUSUN leadership to find a resolution that addresses the concerns of judiciary workers and averts further disruptions to judicial services in the state.
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