“Let no one in Government or Management unlawfully coerce any staff or intimidate staff during the strike. If any member is inflicted with any injustice in this course, we shall deem it as all members have been inflicted. Consequently, we shall respond in equal proportion”
These are the exact words of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana(JUSAG), which has declared a nationwide indefinite strike, following the withdrawal of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for its members and stagnation in salary increment.
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday to officially announce the indefinite strike,  Mr Samuel Afotey Otu, President of JUSAG, said until their demands are met, the courts will remain closed.
According to him, the strike had been necessitated by failure on the part of the government to pay their arrears, which has been outstanding from January.
Meanwhile, he said two weeks engagement with the National Labour Commission (NLC) had been nothing but a fiasco.
Mr Otu said the Minister for Labour and Employment Relations, Ministry of Finance and Chief of Staff failed to attend the meeting organised by NLC, which had JUSAG and management of Judicial Service in attendance.
To add insult to injury, he said, the Chairman of NLC, who was to act as a neutral arbiter, rather justified why the other parties were absent without excuse.
He explained that other public sector workers’ salaries had seen an upward adjustment of 30 percent (%) recently.
Mr Otu also wondered why President Akufo-Addo had not shown interest in their case and has since April, this year, not commented on recommendations on the review of their salaries submitted by a committee to Jubilee House.
Mr Otu, together with his executives, gave their members the following directions:
All drivers are directed to hand over the official vehicles in their custody to the transport department and no driver shall drive any office vehicle or any officer or any judge during the period of the strike.
No Court Registrar should open or be compelled to open any registry or Court for use during the period of the strike.
Regional Executive Board and Committee members of JUSAG are to be on the lookout to ensure compliance.
If any staff of the service receives any threat from any Management member to report to work or perform any official duty during the strike, he or she should decline same and report the matter to JUSAG.
He urged the leadership of the Association of Judges and Magistrates to join the strike since majority of their members, the Circuit Judges and Magistrates are also affected by the injustice and suffering they are facing.
