The National Industrial Court, Abuja Division has restrained the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) from picketing the offices of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), nationwide.
Justice O. Y. Anuwe gave the order of interim injunction, Friday, in suit number NICN/ ABT/163/2021, instituted by FIRS against the union.

NCSU had threatened to picket the nation’s tax agency over alleged anti-union polices, especially for declining to deduct check-off dues for the NCSU.

However, the court ordered, “the Respondents are restrained from picketing the offices of the applicant on 26th July 2021 or any other day pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.They are also restrained from going on strike, as by so doing, the very essence of the substantive suit is defeated. What this translates to in other words is that parties are to maintain the status quo, and are not to do anything that may be detrimental to the interest of the public, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice. The order to maintain status-quo however binds both parties in this suit.”

The case has been adjourned to 15 October 2021 for hearing.

The FIRS had, earlier in theweek, announced the dissolution of the NCSU FIRS Unit (whose Executive members are senior staff) which purportedly represents the junior staff cadre that is non-existent in the Service.

The FIRS said it took that decision because NCSU was a junior staff union and therefore no more applicable in the organisation as it no had junior staff in its employment.

(Vanguard)