The Abia State Chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has announced its decision to participate in the nationwide industrial action declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), according to reports by Igbere TV.
The move follows the alleged non-implementation of the national minimum wage for judiciary workers in Abia State.
Speaking with reporters, the State Secretary of JUSUN, Comrade Chibueze Nwachukwu, confirmed that judiciary staff in the state would begin the strike on December 4, 2024. He explained that the action aligns with directives from both the NLC and JUSUN’s national leadership, which instructed all state branches affected by the wage issue to enforce the strike.
Comrade Nwachukwu emphasized that judiciary workers in Abia State have yet to benefit from the new minimum wage and other salary adjustments under the Consolidated Judicial Salary Structure (CONJUSS). He pointed out that while other civil servants in the state under the public service salary structure have started receiving adjustments, judiciary workers remain excluded.
“We are yet to receive the minimum wage adjustments meant for judiciary workers. This is why we are obeying the national directive to embark on this industrial action,” Nwachukwu stated.
He also noted that the union had previously suspended a similar strike after receiving assurances from the state government that their grievances, including the implementation of the minimum wage, wage awards, and payment of arrears, would be addressed. However, these promises have yet to be fulfilled.
Nwachukwu underscored that the strike was not a local decision but a mandate from JUSUN’s national headquarters, making it binding for all state chapters.
“Despite the promises made during our earlier meetings with representatives of the state government, nothing has been implemented. As a branch of the national union, we are obligated to comply with directives to advocate for the rights of judiciary workers,” he said.
The announcement has sparked mixed reactions among judiciary staff in the state. In a separate interview with ABN TV, Architect Onyekachi Ndukwe, a judiciary staff member, criticized the planned strike, describing it as unnecessary.
“The government has complied with the judiciary’s demands. Embarking on a strike now is unnecessary and amounts to sabotage,” Ndukwe argued.
He further expressed concern that the strike might disrupt the progress made in addressing the issues between the government and judiciary workers.
Earlier, the state chapter of the NLC had claimed that the Abia State Government had implemented the minimum wage for civil servants. However, Nwachukwu clarified that this compliance does not extend to judiciary workers under the CONJUSS structure.
“The state NLC chairman’s statement about compliance does not cover us in the judiciary. We are paid under a separate salary structure, which has not been adjusted,” he said.
