The Abia chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has explained that the ongoing strike is due to the non-implementation of financial autonomy.
The Chairman, Mr Chinedu Ezeh, who addressed newsmen on Monday in Umuahia, said that the union’s demands go beyond the leave allowance issue as claimed by the state government.
“The unpaid leave allowance is not the main reason for this strike, it’s a small component of our demands,” Edeh said.
He emphasised that the union is seeking respect for the judiciary’s financial independence as per the June 2023 Memorandum of Understanding.
The government had attributed the March 13 strike to a dispute over leave allowance payment.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna had urged the union leaders to suspend the strike to facilitate pension verification and payment for retired judiciary staff.
However, Ezeh insisted that JUSUN’s demand is centered on the government respecting the judiciary’s financial autonomy and independence.
Ezeh explained that the leave allowance and leave bonus are distinct, with the former being statutory (10% of gross earnings) and the latter a privilege (5% paid monthly).
He challenged the government’s call for pension verification, stating it’s the Judicial Service Commission’s responsibility.
“Workers haven’t received March salaries due to the strike, which will continue until demands are met,” the chairman insisted.(NAN)
