You can’t embark on strike, Order of June 5 valid, Court tells Labour Unions

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja division, says the order restraining organised labour from embarking on strike remains valid.

On June 5, the court asked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to halt their proposed industrial action over the removal of petrol subsidy.

The federal government had asked the court for an interim injunction preventing the labour unions from proceeding on the strike.

Olufunke Anuwe, the presiding judge, said the federal government was able to show that the planned strike was capable of disrupting activities in the health and education sectors.

Some days later, NLC and TUC asked the court to vacate the order.

During the proceedings on Monday, Ochum Emmanuel, counsel to the federal government, said he was ready to proceed with a counter-application, adding that the NLC and TUC had been served.

Marshall Abubakar, counsel to NLC and TUC, said the unions were only just notified of the development.

Abubakar said he was not certain that the respondents were properly served.

He alleged that the federal government filed a counter-affidavit on the unions’ application on June 16 and instructed the bailiff not to serve them until Monday in court.

He prayed for a short adjournment in order to examine the counter-affidavit.

Subsequently, Anuwe adjourned the matter to July 20 and ordered the parties to maintain status quo.

The judge said the order granted on June 5 subsists pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.