The Organised Labour in Nasarawa state on Wednesday rejected the conditions given by the Judicial Staff Commission (JSC) for the reinstatement of 20 judiciary workers dismissed from service in 2018.
Chairmen of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Mr Iya Yusuf, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Mr Mohammed Doma, rejected the conditions after a congress of the state chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Lafia.
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News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected staff were sacked following a protest which disrupted court proceedings presided over by Justice Suleiman Dikko, the Chief Judge (CJ) of the state.
NAN also reports that in its meeting of Oct. 16, the JSC with the interventions of the state governor, Abdullahi Sule and other stakeholders resolved to reinstate the 20 dismissed staff including Jimoh Musa, Chairman of JUSUN in the state but with conditions.
Some of the conditions were that all reinstated staff were demoted with one grade level from their previous grade levels and the affected staff would not be paid salary arrears of the period that they were sack from service.
Speaking to newsmen, Yusuf, the state chairman of NLC said the conditions offered to the 20 judiciary workers were inhuman and an infringement on the rights of the workers.
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He said NLC in the state would take up the matter and ensure the affected workers gets justice, adding that it would also ensure that all their rights and privileges were given to them.
“The conditions are unfair and inhuman. As umbrella body of all the affiliates of unions in Nasarawa state, we will take up the matter and engage the state governor to intervene.
“We will ensure that justice prevails because they only came out to fight for their rights, only for us to hear that they are been subjected to certain conditions.
“First it was dismissal to termination then reinstatement to conditions for reinstatement.
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“We will prevail and make sure even the conditions are waved for peace to reign because we want industrial harmony and if not handled properly, this issue of condition can ignite a national industrial upheaval”, he said.
On his part, Doma, the TUC Chairman said the congress was ‘totally against’ the conditions and called on the JSC to rescind the conditions or face industrial disharmony.
“Anytime a worker is aggrieved, that worker is allowed to go on strike and it is not a crime to go strike but it is an avenue for workers to instigate negotiations on their demands.
“The judiciary management must call them to a round table and resolve whatever issue that needs to be resolved amicably but stripping the affected workers of their rights and privileges will not be accepted,” he said.
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Musa, JUSUN Chairman in the state said he was dismayed that such step was been taken in the judiciary and appreciated the support of the NLC and TUC in joining forces with JUSUN to fight the alleged injustice.
He said members of the Union during congress had rejected the pronouncement by the state JSC and agreed to allow the state governor intervene on the matter before knowing what step to take in two weeks time.
“We have decided to hold on and wait to see how the state governor is going to resolve the matter within now and two weeks.
“If his intervention did not succeed, our national body will tell us the next step to take but I want to appeal to my members to remain calm, patient and resolute,” he said.
