Court Restrains NLC From Going On Strike

The Rivers State Government has obtained an Order of Interim Injunction to restrain the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) from calling out workers on industrial action.

The NLC had issued notice that it would declare a strike in Rivers State begining from Monday over harassment of its members and other issues.

Listed as Defendants are the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, Comrade Beatrice Itubo and Comrade Austin Jonah.

Briefing journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said NLC has been fully served with the Court Order.

He stated that Rivers State Government believes in the rule of law and would obey it to the latter in the subsisting matter.

The Interim Court Order reads in part, “restraining the Defendant either by themselves or through servants, agents, privies, officers or otherwise from embarking on strike action in Rivers State on the 5th, 6th or 7th September 2020.”

The Commissioner said the order also restrained the defendants from going on strike on any other date whether earlier or later pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction filed in the suit.

According to him,” the defendants, their servants, agents, privies and officers are also restrained from stopping, hindering, preventing, disrupting and / or interfering in any manner whatsoever with the provision of service and other works.

“Other works by their members in the Civil and Public Service of the Claimant / Applicant pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction already filed,” he stated.

Nsirim stated that the Injunction was obtained on September 1, 2020 from the Port Harcourt Division of the National Industry Court Holden at Lagos before Justice N. C. S Ogbuanya.

The Commissioner said the Originating Summons, Motion on Notice and other processes in the Suit along with the Interim Order had been served the NLC and other defendants.

He pointed out that the Court Processes and the Interim Order were published in Vanguard and Daily Sun Newspapers of Thursday, September 3, 2020 as substituted means of service on the defendants

Nsirim noted that if Labour decides to disobey the law, it would be considered as contempt of Court and the law would take its course.