We won’t meet with judiciary workers under duress - FG

Soji-Eze Fagbemi, Abuja - 07.02.2008

Labour Minister, Dr. Hassan Lawal, has declared that the Federal Government will not be intimidated into negotiating with the striking Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JSUN).

Dr. Lawal, however, said on Wednesday that the Federal Government was ready to engage in dialogue with the striking workers to resolve the crisis, but insisted that he would not do that unless the union suspended the strike to allow negotiation to commence.

The minister met with the union leaders for about eight hours on Monday, pleading with them to suspend the strike for discussion to take off, but JSUN leadership insisted that they could not suspend the strike because it had no mandate to do so.

An aide to the minister, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, said the position of the government was simple, adding that if the workers refused suspend their strike, there would be no negotiation.

Dr. Lawal said the strike was illegal as the workers did not give the mandatory notice before they embarked on the strike.