Judiciary workers comprising of high court cleaners, court clerk, drivers have embarked on an indefinite sit-down strike over pay rise and risk allowances as well as staff bus and clothing allowances.

They said they would not go back to work until their demands are met.

Converging at the high court premises in Banjul Pateh Sowe, senior SN officer told journalists: “We have been writing to our seniors on several occasions but yet we do not have a fruitful feedback.”

He said after making series of demands to the authorities that only risk allowance was approved, adding “there is nowhere daily wages exist but the judiciary. And we want that to be stopped.”

Mr Sowe said the support staff of the judiciary is not treated as “noble staff compared to their seniors such as judges and magistrates”.

He said in 2009 the Office of the President initiated an “incentive for Grade Six and Seven salaries while the Ministry of Finance underlined the category of people and cadres that should benefit from that incentive; so, he asked whether the support staff should benefit from that incentive.”

Judges and senior staff of the Judiciary allowances are said to have been increased to hundred 100%.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba