News Editor
By Edwin Philip
Paliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria ( PASAN) has defy the threat by the Federal Government of Nigeria that any worker who will embark on the indefinite strike declared by the Labour unions risk a six month jail term, in accordance to section 18 of the trade union dispute act.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) handed down the warning on Sunday, stating that non compliance to the 15 -day notice required by the act before ceasing services is criminal according to section 41 and 42 (1) (b) of the act.
In what seems to be a case of calling it a bluff, the organised labour in Nigeria began the indefinite strike having failed to find a common ground with the Federal Government on three contending issues.
In a letter sent to all it branches across the country, the paliamentary Staff Union of Nigeria (PASAN) has ordered all it members to totally comply with the directives of the NLC and TUC, urging it chairmen to mobilise their members to participate in their respective zones.
In a notice signed by the PASAN National President, Comr.Muhamed Usman titled: Re indefinite National, Strike, the notice which was read to it members by the chairman of the Nasarawa State chapter, Comr.Sulaiman Oshafu, at the entrance of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly Lafia, amidst solidarity songs by members.
” This is to inform all members that the paliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria that the Nigerian Labour Congress has directed it affiliate to commence an indefinite strike beginning from Monday June 3″
The PASAN notice identified the failure of the government to a agree on a new minimum national minimum wage and subsequently pass it onto law before May 2024 as the first reason for the strike.
Accordingly, government should reverse electricity tariff hike, which was done without consulting the stakeholders as required by the law to N255/kwh back to N66/kwh.
Lastly, government should stop the apartheid categorization of Niger
