By G9ija
Hearing in the suit between the federal government and organised labour over the new minimum wage resumed on Thursday, November 8.
At the hearing, the court ordered both parties to submit a report of their negotiation by January 30, 2019.
The court presiding over the new minimum wage is the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, and the case is presided over by Justice Sanusi Kado The federal government and organised labour have been ordered to submit a report of their negotiation on the disputes over the new minimum wage by January 30, 2019.
Punch reports that both parties were given the order by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, November 8.
the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum are the three defendants in the case. They were all absent in court and also not represented by their lawyer at the resumed hearing on Thursday, November 8.
The plaintiffs in the case – the federal government and the attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami – were represented by their legal team led by Emmanuel Omonowa.
Omonowa told the court that based on the order made by the court on November 2, negotiations on the new minimum were ongoing.
He said: “Pursuant to Order 42(1) of the National Industrial Court Rules, the court should allow parties to see the possibility of amicable settlement of the matter.”
He prayed the court to give more time to the parties in the suit to enable them to continue with the negotiations and later give a report on the negotiation efforts to the court.
Justice Sanusi Kado granted the request and adjourned till January 30, 2019.
He said all parties should report to the court on the said date on whether or not they had settled amicably or would be interested in going further with the case.
Justice Kado also restated his November 2 order, which restrained the labour from embarking on the planned strike and warned all parties in the suit against taking steps that could cause disruptions in the case.