Industrial Court stops Maritime Workers Union strike at INTELS

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC), sitting in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted an order of interim injunction
restraining the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the
Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government
Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) from embarking on or continuing any
industrial action against INTELS Nigeria Limited.

The order was issued by the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice F.I.
Kola-Olalere, while ruling on an ex-parte motion in suit number
NICN/PHC/155/2020 filed by INTELS, on Wednesday.

The court restrained the unions from preventing the staff of
INTELS from entering the company’s operational areas and facilities
to perform their duties.

Recall that MWUN and SSASCGOC began an indefinite strike at
INTELS on Monday, December 14, 2020 over the redundancy of some
workers at the Onne Port, Rivers State.

However, the management of INTELS expressed concern over the
industrial action, which it said had negatively impacted its
services at the port.

INTELS said the affected workers were not its employees, but
staff of one of its labour contractors named Associated Maritime
Services Limited (AMS).

Ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Kola-Olalere ordered
as follows:

“I hereby grant an order of interim injunction pending the
determination of the motion on notice restraining all the
defendants, their agents as contained in prayer one of the this
application at page I36 and page 137 of the record from continuing
their industrial action, work to rule, strike and/or work stoppage
which will however affect the business activities of the
claimant/applicant or any of its clients in any of the
claimant/applicant’s 4 (four) operational areas located at Onne and
Port Harcourt Ports in Rivers State, Warri in Delta State, and
Calabar Port in Cross River State.

“I hereby grant an order of interim Injunction pending the
determination of the motion on notice in prayer 2 restraining the
defendants, their agents, assigns, executors, representatives and
persons corporate and non-corporate claiming through them from
preventing the staff of the claimant or those seconded to it by
other companies and who are not affected by the declaration of
redundancy from entering the operational areas and facilities of
the claimant/applicant and performing their duties and/or rendering
services for which they were employed by claimant/applicant in any
of the 4 (four) operational areas of the claimant/applicant located
at Onne and Port Harcourt Ports in Rivers State, Warri in Delta
State and Calabar Port in Cross River State.

“I hereby grant an order of interim injunction pending the
determination of the motion on notice in prayer 3 restraining the
defendants, their agents, assigns, executors, representatives and
persons corporate and non-corporate claiming through them from
preventing the claimant/applicant’s staff and those seconded to it
from exercising their freedom of movement including entering into
and exiting from the claimant/applicant, it associated companies
and clients’ premises, facilities and areas of the operation
located at Onne and Port Harcourt Ports in Rivers State, Warri in
Delta State and Calabar Port in Cross River State.

“In addition, I order that all the processes on this motion
ex-parte together with the ruling of the court thereon shall be
served on the defendants plus the motion on notice promptly.”

The matter was adjourned to February 15, 2021 for mention.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC), sitting in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted an order of interim injunction
restraining the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the
Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government
Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) from embarking on or continuing any
industrial action against INTELS Nigeria Limited.

The order was issued by the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice F.I.
Kola-Olalere, while ruling on an ex-parte motion in suit number
NICN/PHC/155/2020 filed by INTELS, on Wednesday.

The court restrained the unions from preventing the staff of
INTELS from entering the company’s operational areas and facilities
to perform their duties.

Recall that MWUN and SSASCGOC began an indefinite strike at
INTELS on Monday, December 14, 2020 over the redundancy of some
workers at the Onne Port, Rivers State.

However, the management of INTELS expressed concern over the
industrial action, which it said had negatively impacted its
services at the port.

INTELS said the affected workers were not its employees, but
staff of one of its labour contractors named Associated Maritime
Services Limited (AMS).

Ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Kola-Olalere ordered
as follows:

“I hereby grant an order of interim injunction pending the
determination of the motion on notice restraining all the
defendants, their agents as contained in prayer one of the this
application at page I36 and page 137 of the record from continuing
their industrial action, work to rule, strike and/or work stoppage
which will however affect the business activities of the
claimant/applicant or any of its clients in any of the
claimant/applicant’s 4 (four) operational areas located at Onne and
Port Harcourt Ports in Rivers State, Warri in Delta State, and
Calabar Port in Cross River State.

“I hereby grant an order of interim Injunction pending the
determination of the motion on notice in prayer 2 restraining the
defendants, their agents, assigns, executors, representatives and
persons corporate and non-corporate claiming through them from
preventing the staff of the claimant or those seconded to it by
other companies and who are not affected by the declaration of
redundancy from entering the operational areas and facilities of
the claimant/applicant and performing their duties and/or rendering
services for which they were employed by claimant/applicant in any
of the 4 (four) operational areas of the claimant/applicant located
at Onne and Port Harcourt Ports in Rivers State, Warri in Delta
State and Calabar Port in Cross River State.

“I hereby grant an order of interim injunction pending the
determination of the motion on notice in prayer 3 restraining the
defendants, their agents, assigns, executors, representatives and
persons corporate and non-corporate claiming through them from
preventing the claimant/applicant’s staff and those seconded to it
from exercising their freedom of movement including entering into
and exiting from the claimant/applicant, it associated companies
and clients’ premises, facilities and areas of the operation
located at Onne and Port Harcourt Ports in Rivers State, Warri in
Delta State and Calabar Port in Cross River State.

“In addition, I order that all the processes on this motion
ex-parte together with the ruling of the court thereon shall be
served on the defendants plus the motion on notice promptly.”

The matter was adjourned to February 15, 2021 for mention.