The National Assembly chapters of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), have concluded arrangements to delay the 2023 budget defence and passage from the usual January – December circle through threat of strike action.
The strike, it was learnt, is billed to begin on Thursday, 20th October, 2022, as contained in the communique released by the union after its meeting with the commission and management of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate on Tuesday, 11th October, 2022.
This is coming, according to sources, after the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) had agreed to their demands for payment of leave and hazard allowances, arrears of minimum wage and peculiar allowances after they embarked on a similar strike in June 2022, as part of the conditions that ended the industrial action.
The Conclave investigations at the National Assembly and the National Assembly Service Commission revealed that the commission had already requested and tabled all the demands of the union before the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission through a correspondence, demanding the implementation of minimum wage/ consequential adjustment in the staff consolidated legislative salary structure, and some allowances approved in the Conditions of Service for Use in the National Assembly Service.
It was also gathered that the efforts towards realising the demands of PASAN was already forwarded to the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages, whose duties is to look into and ratify issues relating to salaries and wages in the public service.
It was also reliably learnt that the National Assembly leadership had proactively intervened for accelerated actions and approval of the proposed allowances, conscious of the threats from the parliamentary union.
Sources said an industrial strike by the union will not only affect the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission, but with multiplier effects on the economy, activities of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nigeria already preparing to defend their proposed 2023 budgets.
According to the labour laws and the Trade Dispute Act, this action by the Union negates smooth activities, privileges, rights among others under the Legislative Houses which fall under Section 16, 21 that remained unambiguous.
The sources said that any attempt to continue with the proposed strike, may disrupt the activities of the 9th Assembly, and create uneasy calm both at the Assembly and the nation.
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