Court bars workers from embarking on mass protest, strike against Wike, FCTA

he National Industrial Court, on Monday, restrained the workers, under the auspices of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), from going ahead with the mass protest scheduled for Tuesday or any other day.

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The judge, Emmanuel Sibilim, issued the interim order in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration (FCTA) against the labour unions and their leaders.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that others joined in the motion alongside NLC and TUC are Benson Upah, General N.A Toro, and Stephen Knabayi.

The motion, filed on 2 February, stemmed from a suit marked: NICN/ABJ/30/26, which was filed by James Onoja, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on behalf of minister and the FCTA.

After listening to the claimants, the judge granted the interim order restraining the first five respondents and their privies or agents from embarking on strike pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The judge also ordered the 5th-9th defendants who are security agencies to ensure there is no break down of law and order and adjourned the matter until 10 February for hearing of the motion on notice.

The claimants had told the court that the chairpwrson of the FCT council of the workers’ Union had sent a message of mobilisation to members and affiliated unions for a mass protest scheduled for 3 February.

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The move, the lawyer submitted, was in violation of the orders of the court.

Mr Onoja stated that after the ruling of the court on 27 January, the order of the court was served on the defendants same day but that the NLC and TUC issued a statement to all affiliated unions to intensify and sustain the strike.

The statement jointly signed by both unions directed that the striking workers should resume the strike as the unions’ counsel, Femi Falana, also a SAN, had filed an appeal against the interlocutory ruling.

He said following the development, the FCTA workers, under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), issued a circular directing all employees to continue the strike.

“This position is aimed at causing break down of law and order in the nations capital,” Mr Onoja said.

The FCT Minister and the FCTA had predicated the application on the fact that on 19 January, the workers, acting under the aegis of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), began an industrial action by locking all entrance to offices and the secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

Others are ,closure of schools and all departments and agencies of the 2nd claimant, thereby, bringing the governmental functions and activities of the claimants to a standstill.

Background

The NLC and TUC earlier announced plans to stage a peaceful solidarity rally in Abuja in support of striking workers of the FCTA.

The rally was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 3 February, at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), according to a joint statement issued by the two labour unions on Sunday.

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The unions said the rally was aimed at publicly reaffirming their backing for members of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), who have been at the centre of an industrial dispute with the FCTA.

“In further demonstration of our solidarity, we hereby inform all affiliates that the TUC and NLC shall stage a peaceful solidarity rally to the FCDA on Tuesday, 3rd February. This rally is to publicly affirm that an injury to one is an injury to all, and that the Nigerian labour movement will not abandon its own,” the statement reads.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the industrial action stemmed from a wage dispute.

The dispute came amid ongoing legal proceedings following an indefinite strike by FCTA workers under JUAC, which began on 19 January over unresolved welfare concerns.

Following a motion by Mr Wike, the National Industrial Court ordered the workers to suspend the strike. The case was adjourned to 25 March, for further hearing.

Meanwhile, the NLC and the TUC have accused the FCT Minister of intimidating workers and reiterated support for the striking staff.

In a joint statement, the unions described the initial National Industrial Court ruling stopping the workers’ strike as ‘one-sided’ and urged workers to be courageous.

(NAN)