OrderPaperToday – The management of the National Assembly (NASS) has assured Nigerians that it is working hard to avert a threatened strike action by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).
This assurance was given by Mr. Austin Adesoro, special assistant on media and labour to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Amos Ojo via a telephone conversation with OrderPaper Nigeria on Friday evening.
Recall that the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and the National Assembly chapters of PASAN last week placed its members on notice to down tools beginning tomorrow, Monday. This was part of the resolution reached at the joint emergency congress of the NASC and the NASS.
A communiqué jointly signed by the chairman of the NASS chapter, Mr. Sunday Sabiyi and the vice chairman of the NASC chapter, Mr. M. A. Liman, said the threatened strike is in protest of an alleged breach of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with management on the full implementation of the new National Minimum Wage Act 2019 and the Revised Conditions of Service.
But speaking on the strike threat, Mr. Adesoro disclosed that dialogue is ongoing with the union so as to reach an amicable resolution that will make everyone happy.
On the alleged breach of the MoU, he said the minimum wage has been paid in accordance with approval given by the National Salaries, İncome and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
He said: “İ can assure you that the strike will not take place. What they are asking for has not been approved by the Salaries Income and Wages Commission. So the management is inviting them for a town hall meeting on Monday where all the items will be taken one by one and management of National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission will reach them on the notification on their demand.
“The National Assembly has already paid the minimum wage and they have all received alerts. Their demands are that they should be paid salary inclusive of the minimum wage from 2019 whereas the letter contained the circular on the minimum wage to the National Assembly which read 1st January 2020 which the management has paid from 2020 till date.
“So until the Salaries and Wages Commission change that letter from 2019, National Assembly cannot do otherwise and Minister of Finance will not release funds to the National Assembly beyond what the Salaries and Wages Commission states.”
