Members of the Public Services Workers’ Union (PSWU) at the National Identification Authority (NIA) have commenced an indefinite strike action effective today, June 24, 2025.
This follows what they describe as protracted delays and broken assurances from the Ministry of Finance regarding the payment of their Operational Support Allowance.
According to PSWU, the allowance in question is the only financial supplement to the NIA staff’s “meagre basic pay” that has not been paid since January 2025, despite prior agreements.
The strike, announced in a press statement released on Tuesday, comes after a final round of discussions with the Ministry on June 23, 2025, failed to yield a clear commitment or timeline for the resumption of payments.
“This difficult but necessary decision has become inevitable,” a statement issued by the PSWU–NIA Divisional Executive Council said. “Repeated follow-ups, constructive engagement, and our demonstrated willingness to cooperate in good faith have regrettably not been met with the urgency and seriousness this issue demands.”
Negotiated in July 2024 and implemented from August through to December of that year, the Operational Support Allowance was the product of extensive talks between the PSWU and representatives from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ministry of Finance.
The union acknowledged the efforts of various stakeholders to mediate a resolution but lamented the lack of action from the Ministry, noting that staff across the NIA’s head office, regional offices, premium centres, and district offices have been placed under severe financial and emotional strain.
“This industrial action is not taken lightly. It reflects the deep frustration of staff who have endured this situation for far too long amidst persistent neglect,” the statement continued.
All PSWU members at the NIA have been directed to withdraw their services effective immediately, while the leadership has expressed its readiness to return to the negotiating table.
