Labour Urges Review Of Workers Annual Leave

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) last Wednesday urged the Federal Government to review the annual leave of workers which is presently 30 calendar days.

Mr Olakunle Olaitan, the National President of the association, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He said labour was not in support of the 30 calendar days, saying the Federal Government took the decision on a new leave format without negotiating with labour.

“We reminded them that it was unacceptable to labour and that the issue should be revisited to ensure that what we do is in conformity with the norms and practices as far as labour or industrial relation is concerned.

“ Public officers should continue to enjoy working days leave as against calendar days leave.

“We discovered that up till 2009, leave has always been granted based on 30 days, meaning that Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not part of the number of days,” he said.

According to him, the number of days granted for annual leave has been an issue on the negotiation table with government for some time.

He recalled that when the public service rule was reviewed, government felt that the number of days enjoyed by civil servants was unreasonably high and therefore should be reduced.

“That is why they came up unilaterally with the idea of 30 calendar days.

“That means that the public holidays and weekends are all inclusive in the number of days enjoyable by public officers,” he added.