The governing body of the National Assembly Staff called the Parliament Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has issued a memo of industrial action to begin on Monday 10th of January, 2022 over outstanding minimum wage payments.
This was revealed after a joint NASS/NASC congress, which was held in Abuja. Copies of the memo were issued to Senator Ahmad Lawan, the President of the Senate; Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker for the House of Representatives; Engr. Ahmed Mashi, the Chairman of the National Assembly Commission (NASC); the Divisional Police Officer at the National Assembly and the Director of the Department of State Services.
The statement issued was signed by Comrade Sunday Sabiyi, the Chairman of PASAN and Comrade M. A. Liman, the Vice-chairman.
“Following the management breach of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) entered with PASAN on the 13th of April, 2021 on the full implementation of the new national minimum wage Act 2019 and the Revised condition of service, we hereby observed the Breach of MoU by the decision of the management not to honour its agreement as at 31st December, 2021, being the fourth quarter of 2021.” The statement read.
It continued stating that in light of the resolutions the association would be implementing a strike which will begin on Monday 10th of January, 2022 in order to protest the breach of the agreement.
The NASC/NASS joint emergency congress stated its demands as follows:
“The management should pay with immediate effect the 5 months outstanding balance of minimum wage, the year 2021 rent subsidy, 15 months arrears of CONPECULIAR allowances and 6 months arrears of hazard allowance to National Assembly staff.
“In addition to the MOU, we also demand the implementation of 50 per cent balance of CONLESS, immediate release of year 2022 training template for staff and evidence of provision of gratuity for retiring staff.” The statement read.
The memo also stated that the management had previously indicated that the supplementary budget of 2021 would be amongst the multiple sources of funding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), but contrary to that, the supplementary budget has been channeled as a source of funding into items that were not contained in the MOU, for example the end of the year bonus and promotion arrears.
There is no response yet from the leadership of the NASS regarding this memo, in spite of the fact that the association has already taken similar industrial actions in the past, one of which lasted up to two months in the year 2021.
