Strike: Court dismisses NAICOM suit against association of civil servants for lack of merit

The National Industrial Court, Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), against the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), NAICOM branch, for lacking in merit.

Also joined in the suit as co-defendants were President and Secretary of ASCSN ( NAICOM branch), Mr Ibrahim Abdullateef and Uche Nwosu,

Justice Kiyersohot Damulak, in delivering his judgment held that “apart from the use of the expression “seven-day ultimatum” it appears to the court that the defendants were careful in their choice of words and use of language”.

The judge averred that the defendants simply requested that the claimant should within seven days relay the outcome of the meeting to members of staff to win their confidence and restore industrial peace.

He further said there was neither a threat of strike or shut down of claimant’s premises in paragraph four of the purported letter before the court.

He said in the part of the letter that the defendants said they will deploy other extant labour tools to seek justice, he said there was no insistence on conformity with defendants stand or threat of strike.

Damulak in addition said the defendants had not embarked on strike or shut down the claimant’s premises though the ultimatum expired on Feb.7.

He further said that the fear of the claimant was therefore unreal and unfounded.

The judge concluded by saying he found no merit in the case and dismissed it.

Our correspondent reports that the commission, instituted the suit against the Association over an allegation that its staff who are members of the Association had threatened to embark on strike.

The commission (claimant) also alleged that the defendants threatened to shut down its premises if the resolutions of the claimant’s Board meeting of Jan.24, turned out not to be in conformity to their stand.