For two solid hours on Monday, staff of the National Assembly under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), picketed the assembly over alleged non-payment of minimum wage and con-peculiar allowances by management of the federal parliament.
The picketing followed the failure of the management to persuade the workers to suspend the action.
The workers had earlier notified management of the picketing and their resolve to embark on strike if their demands were not met.
Led by their chairman, Comrade Sabiyi Sunday, the protesting workers matched several times around the foyer of the National Assembly, singing solidarity songs and waving banners and placards.
While addressing the workers, Sunday said the picketing was billed to last for two hours after which the staff are to return to their various offices.
He said the executive of the association would be attending an emergency meeting called by the National Assembly Service Commission to address issues raised by the workers which are non-payment of their eight months outstanding national minimum wage as well as 15 months con-peculiar allowances.
PASAN had accused the management of National Assembly of breach in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it entered with it on April 13, 2021, on the full implementation of the new national minimum wage Act 2019 and the Revised condition of service.
The National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission chapters of PASAN had after a joint congress in Abuja on Thursday resolved to down tools.
As contained in leaflets distributed during the protest, PASAN said: “Whereas management had earlier identified the supplementary budget 2021 as one amongst various sources of funding the MoU, congress is amazed that suddenly the Supplementary budget and virement of the 2021 fiscal appropriation have become the source of funding items not captured in the MoU including end of year bonus and promotion arrears.
“That management should pay with immediate effect, eight months outstanding balance of minimum wage; year 2021 rent subsidy; 15 months arrears of CONPECULIAR allowance; and six months arrears of hazard allowance to National Assembly staff.
“In addition to the MoU, congress also demands implementation of 50 per cent balance of con-less, immediate release of 2022 training template for staff members, and evidence of provision of gratuity for retiring staff members.
“In view of Resolutions 1 and 2, congress resolves to embark on industrial action, commencing with mass picketing from Monday, January 10, 2022, in protest of the breach of the MoU”.
