#Headlines

Court restrains  UTG staff from  sit-down strike

Sep 16, 2021, 1:10 PM

The Administration of the University of The Gambia has filed an application before the High Court challenging the legality of the sit-down strike by the Staff and Faculty Association (UTGSFA).

The University further made an application for an interim injunction against any sit-down strike or industrial action by the UTGSFA pending the hearing of its main application. However, the High Court has made an order of interim injunction restraining the UTGSFA, its executives, officers, members, from embarking on the industrial strike action scheduled to take place on the 15th September 2021 in relation to the resolution passed by the UTGSFA at its Congress held on the 8th of September 2021, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons or further orders of the High Court.

Below is the full text of the UTG release:

“The attention of the Administration of the University of the Gambia has been drawn to an announcement of a sit-down strike by the University of The Gambia Staff and Faculty Association (UTGSFA). Following this, the University filed an Application before the High Court challenging the legality of the sit-down strike. The University further made an application for an interim injunction against any sit-down strike or industrial action by the UTGSFA pending the hearing of its main application. 

Accordingly, the High Court sitting at Bundung, has  made the following orders: 

 

(1)         An order of interim injunction restraining the UTGSFA, its executives, officers, members, agents, servants, employees or howsoever, from embarking on the industrial strike action scheduled to take place on the 15th September 2021 in relation to the resolution passed by the UTGSFA at its Congress held on the 8th of September 2021, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons or further orders of the High Court.

(2)         An interim injunction directed at all the members of the Executive Committee of the UTGSFA to immediately and publicly call off their planned strike or industrial action scheduled to take place on the 15th September 2021 pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

(3)         An Interim Injunction that the President and the Executive Committee of the UTGSFA be restrained from organising or holding any form of picketing or industrial strike action pending the hearing and determination of this matter.

The UTGSFA are hereby notified of this Court Order and are urged to comply with the orders as failure to do so shall amount to contempt of Court. Staff are therefore advised to report to work as normal in line with the Court order and Council resolution. In the same vein, the students are urged to go about their normal activities and the University assures them that they will not relent in ensuring that the Academic Calendar is not adversely impacted.