…As court orders settlement of gratuity
By Bimbola Oyesola
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), has secured justice for 599 workers as a court has ordered INTELS to pay their extra gratuity for flagrant redundanc.
The ruling comes after a prolonged legal battle, which began when INTELS initially paid redundancy extra gratuity to its 34 permanent staff but refused to negotiate with the union to pay the same amount to the contract staff.
According to a statement released by the union’s head of media, John Kennedy Ikemefuna, the court ruled that INTELS and AMS must negotiate with the union and pay the extra gratuity to all 599 affected workers, as they did with their permanent staff.
The court also declared that the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) was wrong to unilaterally determine the amount workers should be paid without negotiation, which led to the trade dispute.
This victory marks a significant milestone for the Maritime Workers Union, which has been fighting tirelessly for the rights of its members.
The union has consistently demanded that INTELS negotiate with them to pay the extra gratuity to all affected workers, and the court’s ruling has vindicated their stance.
With this ruling, the union has secured a major win for the 599 workers who were initially denied their rightful entitlement.
“The union’s determination and perseverance have paid off, and we will continue to fight for the rights and welfare of our members,” said the President.