The organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have been ordered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria on Friday not to embark on its planned indefinite strike scheduled to commence on November 6.
Justice Sanusi Kado gave the order in a ruling on an ex parte application moved on behalf of the Federal Government by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata.
The judge said the order of interim injunction was made due to the urgency of the matter and the need to protect the overall interest of the public.
He fixed November 8 as return date in the case, even as he warned state governors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, joined in the suit as the third defendant, not to do anything that would adversely affect the interest of their workforce pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
He directed that the orders stopping the planned strike be immediately served on both the NLC and TUC.
He ruled, “In view of all that I have been saying above, it is the overall interest of justice and stability of the society to grant the order of interim injunction against the 1st and 2nd defendants (NLC and TUC), their members, privies, agents, proxies, workmen, or servants from embarking on or taking part in the planned strike or industrial action scheduled to commence on November 6, 2018 in whatever form, pending the hearing or determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction which is pending before the court.”
The suit marked, NICN/ABJ/287/2018, was filed on November 1, 2018 in the name of the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, as the 1st and 2nd claimants, respectively.
Joined in the suit as the 1st to the 3rd defendants are the NLC, TUC and body of the governors of the 36 states of the federation, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
While moving the ex parte application on Friday, Apata argued that if the planned strike by the labour was not stopped, it would adversely affect the economy with likely effect of plunging the nation back to recession.
Meanwhile, the organised labour on Friday said it would go ahead with the indefinite nationwide strike action on Monday, despite a “purported” court injunction stopping the planned strike.
It stated this in Lagos at a press conference organised by the joint Central Working Committee of all organised labour unions in the country – the NLC, TUC and United Labour Congress.
The NLC, therefore, urged the Chairman of the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Negotiating Committee, Ama Pepple, to submit the report of the already concluded N30,000 National Minimum Wage negotiation report to President Muhammadu Buhari for transmission to the National Assembly for consideration and passage into law.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said that the joint CWCs stood firmly by the resolution of the national executive council to commence indefinite industrial actions from November 6, 2018 except government accepted and commenced the process of perfecting the payment of N30, 000 as negotiated as new minimum wage before that date.
He said, “The demand is very straightforward, we are open to dialogue, but dialogue must have an end. If we must have dialogue for one year and there is no end to that, certainly there is a deceit, and we are not ready for that, we will not actually participate for a process that will not have an end. This is where we are now and it is unambiguous that a worker who creates wealth needs to be taken care of.
Credit: punchng.com
