By Peter OBIORA investadvocate

Feb 04 2011 16.21 GMT

Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-The National Industrial Court Friday February 04 2011 in Abuja Nigeria restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), its affiliates and agents from disrupting the operations of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc nationwide.

 

This was contained in a Statement and the Court Order made available to investadvocate Friday February 04 2011 by Francis Barde, Principal Manager Corporate Affairs of Union Bank.

 

“In a Suit No. NIC/LA/01/2011, the Court granted an order of Interim injunction restraining the (Defendant/Respondent) Nigeria Labour Congress, directly or indirectly through its agents, privies, affiliates representatives or any other person(s) from carrying out its threat as contained in its letter of January 17, 2011 to Union Bank pending the hearing and determination of the Bank’s motion on notice dated January 20, 2011” the Statement said.

 

Honourable Justice Babatunde Adejumo, The President of National Industrial Court, having gone through the motion expert, the affidavit in support and affidavit of urgency, reasoned that irreparable damage will be done to the Union Bank as well as its numerous customers across the country if this order of interim reliefs is not granted.

 

“I am of the view that this is one of the cases that the matter of urgency, balance of convenience and quantum of damage that may be suffered are to be taken into consideration if justice is to be done to the parties” the Judge ruled.

 

According to the Statement, the order also restrained NLC from obstructing or instigating any strike action or picketing action against the Bank pending the hearing and determination of the Bank’s motion on notice adjourned to February 10 2011.

 

The Bank further affirmed that following a legal advice received early this year by its Management on the legal status of Association of Senor Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) affiliated to the NLC, Union Bank withdrew recognition of ASSBIFI, NLC affiliate and their in-house Union in order not to contravene the Trade Union Act cap T14 LFN 2004.

“This decision was communicated to ASSBIFI and their in-house unit known as Union Bank Association of Senior Staff (UBASS) as well as the Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Security Agencies” the Statement said.

 

Following this, the NLC in a letter dated January 17 2011 threatened to embark on a strike to force Management to rescind the decision and gave a 7 day ultimatum.

 

“Management in response on January 21 2011 wrote to the NLC explaining the reasons for its action and also took the precaution of filing a complaint at the Nigeria Industrial Court (NIC) on January 20 2011 seeking orders to restrain the NLC from implementing their threat” the Statement affirmed.

 

As earlier reported by investadvocate, the Funke Osibodu led Management of Union Bank on Monday January 17 2011 sacked 13 staff of the Bank; including Thaddeus Chigozie Ogbonna, General Secretary of the local chapter of ASSBIFI over their involvement in late December 2010 strike action that crippled operations of the Bank for about three days.

The issues which the workers are agitating for include the salary structure and pension policy rolled-out effective July 01 2010, reduction in terminal benefits (gratuity), ethnic prejudice, the wide disparity in the overseas medical allowances of members of General Management and the Directorate amongst others; which the staffs were unhappy with.

 

Others are massive layoff of workers without following due process, the cut off of workers’ salaries, and tax deductions.