Ex-workers take firm to court over outstanding salaries

For alleged refusal to pay outstanding salaries and entitlements by Global Scansystems Limited, former 250 staff members have instituted a suit against it at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Lagos.

It is an indigenous company dealing in industrial technology wares among other things was alleged to have laid off over 250 staff between 2013 and 2015 without paying their entitlements.

The ex-workers in a suit delineated NICN/LA/572/2015 filed through their counsel, Mr. Emeka Ozoani, alleged that the management of Global Scansystems Limited refused to pay their outstanding salaries and entitlements after they were laid off between 2013 and 2015 respectively.

The claimants averred in their statement that the company employed them in 2006 after the company was awarded a Destination Inspection Contract by the Federal Government to conduct inspection of all imported goods at the Port on behalf of the government.

After the expiration of the company’s contract with the government in 2013, the ex-workers stated that some of the staff were laid off, while some others were renewed by the company for additional six months, which was later extended till 2015, following the renewal of the company’s contract with government.

They however alleged that the company is owing them 28 months salaries before their employment was terminated on September 28, 2015, at the expiration of the company’s contract.Also, they alleged that their letters of termination were not precise and had no definite date for payment of their respective salaries or other sundry entitlements.

They stated that even though they had no issue with the termination of their services which, subject to the end of the contract, they are however entitled to be paid their benefits, just as their other colleagues who were employed by two other foreign contractors – SGS and Cotecna – were dully paid after the expiration of the contracts.

The former staff of global Scansystems limited further claimed that in a bid to get their money, on September 16, 2015, they wrote a letter to one of the company’s director, wherein staff members complained bitterly about their unpaid leave allowances, salaries, entitlements and unpaid end of the contract benefits till date.

The suit was presided over by Justice John Peter and Justice Benedict Kayip and has been adjourned till October 10, 2016 for hearing. The defendant, Global Scansystems Limited is yet to file its defence since 2015.