Judicial workers in Ogun state on Monday commenced a five-day warning strike over non-payment of their 40 per cent peculiar allowance.
The workers, under the aegis of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Ogun state chapter, shut down the state high court and magistrate court in Isabo, Abeokuta, the state capital.
When our correspondent visited the court on Monday, lawyers were stranded as judges were prevented from carrying out their duties.
Speaking over the industrial action, the state chairman of JUSUN, Olarenwaju Ajiboye said the workers were forced to embark on the strike, following the refusal of the state government to accede to their demands.
According to Ajiboye, the union embarked on the strike following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued to the state government.
“Today, Ogun state judicial workers commenced a five-day warning strike to protest the non-payment of 40 per cent peculiar allowance of judicial workers by the state government.
“After the warning strike, if the Ogun state government fails to do the needful, the union will proceed on indefinite strike come 18 March 2024.
“In August 2023, the state government commenced the payment of non-peculiar allowance to the core civil servants, immediately we became aware of this, we informed our national body who wrote three letters – one to the Head of Service and two to the governor directly on the matter.
“The Head of Service called a meeting with the union and other stakeholders to discuss the way forward. The reasons given to the union for the government not to pay the money were not tenable and not acceptable to the union, which is why we proceeded on a day warning strike.
“The union held its congress where a 21-day ultimatum was issued to the state government to do the needful failure of which will lead to five days warning strike after which we will proceed on indefinite strike,” Ajiboye said.
