Court Workers Begin Strike In Nigeria
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, has directed its members to shut down all courts in the country, Premium Times reports.
According to the report published on Friday, 11 July, 2014, all courts in Nigeria, except federal courts, are expected to be closed down over failure to implement the judgment of a Federal High Court on the financial autonomy of the state judiciaries.
In a statement made available to journalists after the end of an emergency meeting held by the National Executive Committee, NEC, of JUSUN, the union also asked federal judiciary workers to be at alert because they may be requested to join the strike in solidarity with their state chapters.
The communique, which was jointly signed by the National President of the union, Marwan Adamu, and the General Secretary, Isaiah Adetola, also informed that the national secretariat of the union has taken over the industrial dispute embarked upon recently by the Rivers state JUSUN over leadership crisis.
The union described as “unfair” the decision of the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission, JSC, to issue two separate directives for and against returning to work.
It added that workers cannot serve two masters at the same time.
JUSUN pointed it out that the union members in Rivers would not resume work unless stakeholders in the state amicably resolve the matter so as to ensure security of the workers.
"After the exhaustive deliberation on the refusal/failure of state Governments to respect/implement the Federal High Court Abuja, judgment /orders in respect of financial autonomy of state Judiciaries as well as failure of stakeholders to abide by the decision to set up a technical implementation committee of the FAAC meeting of 17th June 2014, it is resolved by NEC:
* Court workers in Nigeria protesting recently
“That all Judiciary staff at state level nationwide should proceed on an indefinite strike with effect from Friday 11th July 2014.
“That the National secretariat of the union shall notify Federal Judiciary workers to join the action as events unfold.
“That the National Executive Committee of the union after a review of events in Rivers state Judiciary also resolved that JUSUN members in the state should continue and sustain their current strike until the major stakeholders find an amicable resolution of the leadership crisis in Rivers state judiciary. Meanwhile, the NEC in session has announced total takeover of action in River state," the communique read in part.
As at the time of compiling this report, neither State Governments nor the Federal Government have released a statement concerning the industrial action.
Source: Legit.ng
