NLC writes FG, FJSC over judiciary workers' strike - Wants labour minister's urgent intervention

Soji-Eze Fagbemi, Abuja

NLC President, OmarThe Nigeria Labour Congress has written the Federal Government and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) over the on-going strike by the Judiciary workers, blaming the latter for the prolonged crisis.

In separate letters addressed to the Minister of Labour, Dr. Hassan Lawal and the Executive Secretary of FJSC, the Congress regretted that the Commission has refused to make use of the Negotiating Forum set up by the Minister since April, to resolve the issues raised by the union.

Signed by the General Secretary of NLC, Comrade John Odah, the letter to the minister drew his attention to the strike action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), and expressed concern over the seeming indifference of the ministry to the situation.

Comrade Odah expressed concern that six months after the Forum was established, nothing concrete had been achieved, while the issue has been allowed to drag for too long.

“We call on the minister to urgently intervene in the on-going strike action by inviting the union and the appropriate government agency for dialogue and ensuring that the Negotiating Forum set up for this purpose lives up to its responsibilities,” he said.
Blaming the FJSC for the prolonged crisis, Comrade Odah said in the other letter that the NLC has watched with growing concern, the strike by the judicial workers, and the indifference of the commission to the situation.

He said: “We recall that in April this year, during the last strike by JUSUN, the minister of labour had set up a Negotiating Forum to resolve issues raised by the union with the commission as part of that forum. We find it rather surprising that six months after the forum was set up, the grievances of judicial workers are yet to be resolved.
“More worrisome, had been the fact that despite sufficient notice on the strike action, the commission has refused to call the union for discussion.

“The NLC believes that this strike would have been avoidable if the commission had acted promptly through the Negotiating Forum. Allowing this issue to unduly drag on for such a long time, in the final analysis, will not be in the interest of industrial peace in the Judiciary.

“We call on the commission to stop the on-going strike action by taking advantage of the established Negotiating Forum to expedite dialogue with the union.

“We therefore wish to call on you to take steps to urgently convene a meeting with the striking workers with a view to resolving the matter.”