Court issues fresh order restraining NLC, TUC from strike in Imo
A new interim injunction has been issued by the National Industrial Court in Owerri, prohibiting Organised Labour from conducting any form of strike in the state of Imo until further notice.
The court cautioned against defying its directive, stating that such conduct would result in repercussions, as reported by The Nation.
The order was issued by Justice N C S Ogbuanya subsequent to the advice provided by the solicitors for both parties, who stated that a resolution to their dispute had not yet been achieved.
The Trade Union Congress and its secretary general, Comrade Nuhu Toro, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, represented by its secretary general, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, are the defendants.
The Attorney General of Imo State and the Imo State Government are the claimants in lawsuit No. NICN/OW/41/2023.
In light of the claimants’ motion for an interlocutory injunction and after hearing from both counsels, the court determined that the judgement would be rendered on November 30, 2023.
The court further determined as follows: “It was necessary for the parties to maintain the peace until the next adjourned date, in light of the court’s responsibility to prevent the escalation of labour disputes and related disagreements between the parties to the detriment of the welfare and interests of third parties and the general public who are not involved in the labour dispute already submitted for adjudication in the pending suit in the court.”
“Parties are hereby advised to consider the repercussions of disobedience to an existing court order in the pending litigation before the court,” the court order continued.
The Court postponed its decision on the interlocutory injunction petitioned by the claimants until November 30.
In defiance of a court order, a faction of the Labour Party initiated a strike that halted all business operations in the state. In the interim, the parties maintain peace pending the outcome of the case.
