The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, the umbrella body of workers of the National Assembly, on Friday threatened to paralyze activities of federal legislature again if the management failed to meet their demands.
Chairman of PASAN, Mr. Musa Bature, made the threat while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday.
Bature said with the consent of PASAN leadership and all affiliate chapters, “We hereby reiterate that the proposed indefinite industrial action that will ground all legislative activities of the National Assembly.”
Members PASAN had on Tuesday shut down the National Assembly, picketed the chambers and paralyzed legislative activities.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; and Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, had pleaded with the workers to suspend the picketing, urging the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori, to resolve the labor crisis in the National Assembly by Friday.
The House had on Thursday resolved to summon the Minister of Finance, Aisha Mohammed, over the non-release of funds to finance the new Consolidated Salary Structure of National Assembly workers.
Mohammed is expected to explain the delay of non-implementation of the 2018 Appropriation Act which captures the 28 percent increment of salaries under the new structure.
However, on Friday, Bature said, “While thanking the political leadership for their intervention, the leadership of the national body of PASAN as well as zonal leadership and members of the two chapters that make up the FCT, we will still go ahead if our demands are not met as promised.
“It is based on assurances by political leadership that the union, after its emergency congress held last Wednesday, resolved to suspend to suspend the picketing for two days as a mark of respect for the Senate President and Speaker of the House.
“The picketing and pending strike action are predicated on Consolidated Salary Structure which was approved for NASS staff since July 2010 and only 20 percent was approved till date.
“Also the condition of service and promotion, conversion and upgrading are in the kitty for negotiations. We have tabled the issue of training for legislative staff as this is pivotal if our democracy must advance.”
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