Justice W. Abali of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, sitting in Awka will on October 25, 2016, deliver ruling as to whether the 235 workers laid off without sack letters, were engaged by oil and gas major, Chevron Nigeria Limited or four of the company’s contracting firms: JOCECO Nigeria Limited, PatOnosen Nigeria Enterprises Limited, Sanco Calaya JV Nigeria Limited and Hensteel Engr & Construction Services Limited.

The NICN arrived at the date after entertaining arguments from the counsel to Chevron, Akpomudje Albert, SAN and lawyer to the 235 aggrieved workers, Chief V. Otomiewo.

While lawyer to Chevron contended that the claimants’ case against Chevron was weak for the reason that working in Chevron yard does not make them (235 workers) Chevron staff, lawyer to the sacked workers insisted that the argument of Chevron lacks merit, noting that correspondences/agreements authenticating the workers’ engagements between the 1st to 4th defendants (the contracting firms) were with Chevron.

The claimants’ lawyer further argued that the entitlements of the 235 workers were in Chevron’s possession and urged the court to order Chevron to release their financial entitlements totaling N100 million.

The sacked workers, who had put up claims that Chevron recruited them and sublet them to the contractors to pay them, had gone to court in 2015 asking the judge to award a total sum to the tune of N100 million as compensation/damages for an alleged breach of contract.