National Assembly workers under the aegis of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) at the weekend rejected the proposed payment of the outstanding National Minimum Wage by National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).
The association in the communique issued at the end of the meeting held with the Commission and National Assembly Management kicked against the planned payment of the balance of the National Minimum Wage to workers from Grade Level 03 to 17.
Failure to implement the outstanding balance of the National Minimum Wage and other demands, the aggrieved workers threatened to shut down legislative activities and offices at the expiration of May 30, 2022 ultimatum.
According to the report, the timetable for the payment of the balance of Minimum wage Arrears showed that staff on GL 3-14 are to be paid as from May 2022 – December 2022; GL 15 – January 2023; GL 16 – February 2023; GL 17 – March 2023.
“However, a committee was set up to see the possibility of accommodating GL 15 – 17 from May 2023 – December 2023.
“On the full implementation of the condition of service, management insisted on approval from National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.
“Based on the above, the union will refer back to congress for final deliberations.”
However, after extensive deliberation on the outcome of the meeting, workers unanimously rejected the proposal, alleged that the NASC Chairman compromised with the Clerk for the National Assembly (CNA), Architect Amos Ojo.
According to them, the NASC Act empowers the commission to fix and determine workers’ allowances, adding that National Salaries and Wages Commission has no power to dictate allowances already fixed by NASC in the new condition of service for staff of National Assembly service.
As a result of the new condition of service approved by Parliament management created 5 new directorates and departments without obtaining approval from the salaries income and wages commission.
“Why will payment of the minimum wage be split in the first place? The Management have realised how weak the union and staff are and they are capitalizing on that to ride on our collective sensibility.
“We take anything they place on the table to us and they never agree with us on anything. Will the same Management or Commission scrap all the Directorates and other positions created by the same condition of service until they get the approval from MSIWC? What business does our condition of service have with MSIWC?
“No one is even talking about leave allowances which are part of the approved condition of service that was implemented last year.
“Leave allowance was paid to staff last year. Up till now, the 2022 leave grant has not been paid. NASS management still needs approval from salaries income and wages commission. This is wicked.
“Who is deceiving who here, please?
Was the minimum wage arrears not captured in the 2021 budget of NASS?
If yes, was the money released to NASS Management?
“What about the improved Condition of Service Allowances provision for NASS Staff in the 2021/2022 Budget? Was the money released or not?
“What does the record from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning says about releases and cash backing of funds meant for NASS in the last 3 years?
“The expo should search for answers to the above questions and bring the results to the Congress so as to determine the next line of action.
“Seeing 2023 fiscal year alone in the above report for what is meant to be paid in 2023 is disheartening and confusing, and may even be a major contributor to the biweekly news of Staff demise.”
The workers during the joint congress held on the 28th March 2022 had expressed grave concern over the prolonged delay in the payment of 9 months of outstanding National Minimum Wage as well as tent subsidy.
To this end, the workers “concede to the Management’s proposal to pay the balance of Minimum Wage Arrears to all categories of staff on monthly basis within 6 months commencing from April 2022 and not later than September 2022.
“Further concede to the Management’s decision to commence additional Tax Deduction with immediate effect, however, the Management should take responsibility for cases of under-deduction of tax.
“Demand the full implementation of the subsisting MoU jointly signed by the NASC and NASS Management, and PASAN on the 13th of April, 2021 with the Arrears for the 2021 fiscal year paid to all categories of staff in the National Assembly Service not later than 31st May, 2022; and advise the Management to note that this Communiqué also serves as Pre-Notification of 21 Days, 14 Days and 7 Days Service of Notice for Industrial Action in the event of failure by the National Assembly Management to comply with the Congress Resolution.”
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