Justice Suleiman Dikko, the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, has threatened to implement the ‘no-work-no-pay,’ policy to compel striking judiciary workers to return to their duty post.
Dikko, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) through Mr Enoch Ali-Maku, the Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State High Court, said all staff should report to their offices immediately.
He said that in line with labour laws, any worker who took part in a strike was not entitled to any remuneration throughout the period of the strike.
“Only workers that obey the directive by the chief judge and report to their duty post are eligible to receive salaries.’’
All heads of courts were directed to take attendance of those who reported for duty.
In his reaction, Jimoh Musa, State Chairman of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), said the chief judge did not have the right to invoke such policy, adding that the workers were involved on legitimate strike.
He explained that this was part of measures by the management to intimidate the officials of the union and its members into suspending the strike.
According to him, the government can only invoke such policy if workers absconded from duty for no just course.
The chairman added that the law had given the union the right to embark on strike to press home their demands.
He called on the workers to ignore whatever threat and continue to remain at home until the government met all their demands.
The union on February 16, embarked on strike to press for implementation of promotion and annual increments among others.