The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has dissolved its staff union, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), FIRS Unit, insisting that it does not have a junior cadre.

Abdullahi Ahmad, the FIRS spokesman, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

Mr Ahmad explained that the union, whose executives were made up of FIRS senior staff, was dissolved in an official announcement circulated to all staff.

The statement said, “In line with Gazette No. 6 Vol 65 dated February 8, 1978, and National Industrial Court judgment dated June 27, 1995, it is noted that the operations of Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) FIRS Unit as it is constituted today in FIRS is considered illegal.

“There are no longer any junior staff cadre employees in the service. There is accordingly no legal or other basis whatsoever for the continued existence of a junior staff cadre union in FIRS as the cadre of staff it is deemed to cover do not exist within the organisation.”

It noted that a letter from the labour ministry to the head of the service dated February 19, 2015, confirmed the dissolution.

The statement further clarified that the right of workers to decide which union to belong to “is not absolute but must be exercised within the limits of Trade Unions Act CAP T14 LFN 2004.”

The judgment of the National Industrial Court (NCSU vs ASCSN (2004) 1NLLR Part 3, 427) confirmed the development, said the FIRS.

“In the light of all the above, the FIRS Board at its meeting held on June 24, 2021, therefore directed that, in view of items 1 & 2 above, the activities of NCSU FIRS Unit in the Service are henceforth considered illegal. The Union (NCSU FIRS Unit) is hereby proscribed with immediate effect,” the FIRS explained.

Mr Ahmad said the management also assured staff that it was willing to work and cooperate with the only legitimate staff representatives.

(NAN)