Kaduna Judiciary Workers Suspend Strike For One Month
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Kaduna State Branch, has suspended its strike following a series of constructive engagements with the State Government.
A communique issued on Friday said the union agreed to suspend the strike for one month to allow for the review and implementation of its demands.
The decision was taken following dialogue with the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, James Atung Kanyip and key stakeholders, including national and state officials of JUSUN, representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Judiciary, and senior government officials.
The meetings focused on resolving the industrial issues amicably and finding lasting solutions to strengthen the justice delivery system in the state.
In the communique signed by the Attorney-General, Chairman, JUSUN Kaduna State Chapter, Comrade Auwal Sarki, Chairman of the state NBA, Barr. Baba Lawal Isah, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor on Legal Matters, Dr. Mustapha Musa, and JUSUN National President, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu, a technical committee comprising representatives of the Kaduna State Government, the Judiciary, and JUSUN will be set up to review the union’s demands and make recommendations.
It was agreed that the Committee should submit its report within one month, during which period the union’s strike would remain suspended.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continuous dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues in the interest of industrial harmony and the smooth administration of justice in Kaduna state.
On Monday, members of the JUSUN shut down courts across Kaduna State as they began an indefinite strike.
The workers were demanding for full financial autonomy and payment of their long-standing entitlements.
The strike followed a notice issued by the union on 23 October, signed by its secretary, Nasiru Haruna, which declared an indefinite industrial action from 27 October.
According to JUSUN, the action was necessitated by the state government’s disregard to multiple letters and ultimatums, including one dated 1 September and another 9 October, demanding implementation of key agreements.
“All efforts to resolve these issues amicably have been ignored,” the union’s statement read. “We are left with no choice but to withdraw our services indefinitely until our legitimate demands are met.”
The demands include the implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), full implementation of consequential salary adjustments, payment of withheld salaries for April and May 2021, settlement of nine years’ arrears of a 20 per cent salary component from 2016 to date, payment of outstanding leave and transport grants covering nine years, and disbursement of outfit allowances for judiciary workers across the state.
