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The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Ibadan division has ordered the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta to pay a sum of #200,000 as compensation to one of its Staff over querry .
The court which nullified a query issued to eight of its staff for engaging in union activities ,warned the institution against illegal acts.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that
FUNAAB had on the 26th of October, 2021 in an internal memo referenced FUNNAB/R/JP.1679 through the office of the deputy registrar issued a query to Ayegba Lawrence, Kolawole Olusegun, Elemide Ismai, Oladipupo Adeola, Jihn Andrew, Oguntade Emmanuel, Icheme Amos and Onogwu James requesting why a disciplinary action should not be taken against them for violting their undertaken.
PLATFORM TIMES further gathered that the eight staff who were allegedly being queried for involvement in union activities were said to have signed an undertaking with their employer preventing them from union actions.
While FUNNAB denied the said undertaking, the institution added that only one out of the said staff was giving a query.
NASU which the queried staff are members approached the court through their lawyer, Benjamin Ogunleye seeking the nullification of such an undertaking and query.
NASU described the undertaking as a violation of human right and a breach of international best practices in Labour employment.
FUNAAB had in its objection denied the query and as well dismissed the alleged undertaking. It also protested the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
A copy of the judgment which was delievered May 5, 2022 was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday in Abeokuta .
Justice J.D Peters in the ruling of suit no: NICN/IB/71/2021 declared that the query issued against the staff is a violation of human rights.
He ordered the disbandment of the investigation committee and payment of #200,000 to the applicant.
His judgement “I here set aside and order the 2nd defendant to withdraw the query issued to Onogwu James and any other member of the applicant on the ground of violation of undertaking not to take part in any Union action.
“I order the immediate disbandment of the investigative committee set up to investigate the eligible members of the claimant on the ground of an undertaking not to take part in any Union actions as contained in the query letter…
“A perpetual injunction is hereby issued restraining the 1st defendant…from intimidating, threatening or victimizing any of its worker(s) who participate or actually participated in Trade Union activities with the claimant’s union.
“The respondents are ordered to pay the cost of this action assesses at Two hundred Thousand Naira only to the Applicant.”
