In an apparent acceptance of defeat in the long standing legal battle between the Plateau State Government and the Sate Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Governor at the weekend said that the State Government would be willing to settle out of court.

It would be remembered that Local Government workers went on strike for over half a year in 2012, during which both civil and academic performances were paralysed, leading to an intervention from the Minister of Labour and Productivity.
After the resolution of the strike however, the state government insisted on a “no-work-no-pay” rule but the workers disagreed that such a rule did not exist within labour laws as stipulated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and insisted that all allowances due to them (including that during the strike period), be paid in full.

In an unpredictable twist of turn, the State Governor, Jonah Jang has agreed to settle the dispute out of court but said that the Industrial courts would need to interpret what the “no-work-no-pay” rule means. The Governors posture was made known through his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Edward Pwajok at an arbitration panel hearing between the parties at the Industrial Court in Abuja last week.

In an apparent acceptance of defeat in the long standing legal battle between the Plateau State Government and the Sate Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Governor at the weekend said that the State Government would be willing to settle out of court.

It would be remembered that Local Government workers went on strike for over half a year in 2012, during which both civil and academic performances were paralysed, leading to an intervention from the Minister of Labour and Productivity.
After the resolution of the strike however, the state government insisted on a “no-work-no-pay” rule but the workers disagreed that such a rule did not exist within labour laws as stipulated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and insisted that all allowances due to them (including that during the strike period), be paid in full.

In an unpredictable twist of turn, the State Governor, Jonah Jang has agreed to settle the dispute out of court but said that the Industrial courts would need to interpret what the “no-work-no-pay” rule means. The Governors posture was made known through his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Edward Pwajok at an arbitration panel hearing between the parties at the Industrial Court in Abuja last week.

In his address to the court, Pwajok said that the Government and the Labour union shall settle the issue on the outstanding arrears, but asked the court to clarify the issue of workers going to strike without proper notice and whether periods for which workers did not work should be paid.

He said the State Government was committed to the payment of workers salaries since they came into power in 2007, and wondered why the unions found the need to drag the State Government before an arbitration panel or a court.
The matter has been adjourned to April 25th 2013.

by Jerry Ladan

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Local Government Strike – Jang opts for out of court settlement