Twenty Nigerian cabin crew members laid off by Virgin Atlantic
Airways have slammed a N5 billion suit on the airline. Joined as co-respondent
in the ensuing legal hostility is Aviation Logistics and Management Ltd. In a
motion filed before National Industrial Court Lagos South west Nigeria by their
lawyer, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN),
the claimants are seeking an order of
interlocutory injunction restraining the respondents from laying them off, or
giving notice of termination of employment, served on them pending the hearing
and determination of the suit. They are also seeking the order of the court suspending the
employment termination served on them pending a hearing of the substantive
suit.
They
also demanding the sum of N5 billion as damages for the act of discrimination
against them. The
twenty cabin crew members included: Genevieve Mordi, Umo Akinselure, Lukman
Yusuf, Ekaete Victor-Iyamu, Victoria Enyi, George Ezemba, James Ajayi, Rosemary
Ogbor, Babajide Akinyele and Remilekun Lashebikan.
Others
include Yewande Salau, David Dagat, Babafemi Oshifeko, Babatunde Olamuye,
Juliet Ezumba, Rachel Ideho, Ademola Olowolade, Imelda Blankson, Halimat
Odeyemi and Tolumilade Sogbesan.
They
were all laid off on November 30, 2015 following an internal memo issued by the
Executive Vice President, Jill Brady. In a
memo it was stated that the provision of cultural expertise, which was the
primary purpose of employing the claimants, was no longer required by the
airline on its Lagos-London route.
However,
in an affidavit deposed to by one of the plaintiffs, Umo Akinselure, averred
that the claimants were never informed by any of the respondents that the sole
reason for their employment was to provide cultural expertise in respect of the
airline's flight operations on the Lagos-London route.
The respondent further stated that no survey was ever
conducted by the airline which revealed that the cultural expertise provided by
the claimants, in respect of its Lagos-London route, is no longer required.
Akinsulure
averred that the airline's intention to terminate the employment of the
claimants was based solely on their race, color, and social extraction as the
airline has consistently and persistently taken actions which are
discriminatory, oppressive, and detrimental to the interest of the claimants as
Nigerians and Nigeria as a country.
Credit
Sahara Reporters
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