Judge orders accelerated hearing of JUTH management/workers dispute

NAN-H-74
dispute
Jos, March 28, 2017 (NAN) Justice Rabiu Gwandu of the National Industrial Court, Jos, has ordered lawyers to parties in the industrial dispute between Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), and its workers, to ensure a speedy resolution of the matter.

“The case involves human health and should not be delayed; health workers should not be delayed in the courts when their attention is required in the hospital,” she said on Tuesday, when the matter came up.

She warned lawyers against delay tactics that could further prolong the matter which she said had lingered “for too long”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Joint Health Staff Union (JOHESU), had dragged the management of JUTH to court in 2016, over alleged refusal to pay their April and May salaries for that year.

The union had declared a strike during the period, but while some workers stayed away as directed by the union, others reported to work.

The management later paid salaries to only workers that reported to work during the two months strike.

At the hearing of the case om Tuesday, Gwandu declared that labourers were entitled to their wages, and advised lawyers to both sides to strive toward reaching a consensus.

She ordered the lawyers to file for an accelerated hearing to enable the court to resolve the issues “very quickly”.

Gwandu adjourned the matter to May 15, and advised the two parties to meet before the adjourned date and explore the possibility of an out-of-court settlement.

She appealed to the union leaders to be calm and refrain from actions that could portray them as “rowdy”.  (NAN)
UBO/ECN/KOLE/ETS

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Edited by Remi Koleoso and Ephraims Sheyin