Judiciary workers under NJC, s’court back out of planned JUSUN strike

Judiciary workers under the National Judicial Council (NJC) and in the supreme court have pulled out of the planned strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

JUSUN had directed its members in all federal courts nationwide and other judicial institutions to withdraw their services from June 2.

In a statement on Friday, Mustapha Laminu, JUSUN national vice-president, north-central, said the strike was to protest the non-payment of five months’ arrears of wage award, the non-implementation of the N70,000 national minimum wage, and the non-implementation of the 25/35 percent salary increase.

However, in a statement on Saturday signed by Joel Ebiloma, spokesperson for JUSUN, NJC chapter, the council said following the directive to embark on a strike, a series of meetings were held.

Ebiloma said the meetings were between JUSUN of various federal judicial bodies, minister of labour, and other stakeholders in the judiciary.

He said it was resolved that the NJC give the labour minister and other critical stakeholders two weeks to address the issues with the office of the accountant general of the federation.

“In the light of the above, we wish to state clearly that the NJC JUSUN hereby directs all staff to come to the office on Monday,” the statement reads.

“This is to allow the relevant stakeholders engage the necessary authorities to ensure that the Accountant General of the Federation releases the Statutory Allocations to the Judiciary based on the 2025 Appropriation in which the arrears Wage Award, minimum wage, and the 25%/35% salary increase have been captured.”

In the same vein, a statement by Danladi Nda, chairman, JUSUN, supreme court chapter, said following an emergency meeting, the chapter resolved that it would not be participating in the planned strike action.

“A short notice and decisions reached by our colleagues in (lower) sister’s Court cannot be manageable by us in the Supreme Court,” the statement reads.

“More so, the efforts and struggles of His Lordship Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatukunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON, (CJN) in this matter cannot be put in vain or swept under the carpet, but must achieve the desirable result.

“Accordingly, I have the privilege to inform you that the Supreme Court Chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) declined and will not be participating in the planned Industrial Action (Strike) FOR NOW!”

In addition, members of JUSUN, federal high court chapter, withdrew their earlier notice of strike, saying it was “inadvertently issued before the official communication from our National Headquarters”.

“We hereby withdraw same while awaiting the strike notice from the National Congress Office,” a statement by Samuel Ikpatt, the chapter chairman, reads.