JUSUN embarks on indefinite strike, disrupts tribunal inauguration in C’River

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Cross River State chapter, has embarked on an indefinite strike action, disrupting election petition tribunal inauguration.

The union has also shutdown all court premises in the state, and this has disrupted activities of the election petition tribunal, whose activities were slated to commence yesterday.

This development was contained in a statement issued, on Tuesday, by the state Chairman of JUSUN, Enya Etorti.

The union said the indefinite strike is to press for their demands, as they vowed not to return to work until government yields to them.

Highlighting some of its demands in a communiqué issued at the end of their executive council meeting, the union noted the implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary, payment of 66 per cent balance of consolidated judiciary salaries, re-instatement of some of their members whose names were removed from the payroll, amongst other.

Speaking with journalists at the Judiciary headquarters in Calabar, Etorti said the union had shown reasonable understanding with the state government under the leadership of the outgoing Governor Ben Ayade, but had not produced any positive results.

Etorti, who vowed he would not bow to pressure to call off the strike until their demands are met, lamented that the indefinite strike action is long overdue, because they have been embarking on warning strike since 2015.

He said: “Since last year, we had given the government 21 days, 14 days and seven days ultimatum; we had also gone on five days warning strike.

With all these, the government did not say anything before we finally decided to embark on this strike.

“We are shutting down judiciary premises across the state. So, election petition tribunal can look for another venue for their sittings, as we are not going to open the court premises.”

When contacted on how the strike has affected the inaugural sitting, the Secretary of Cross River State Election Petition Tribunal, Akawu Bambur, promised to communicate on a new date for the inauguration.