The Industrial Court in Lagos has ordered Arik Air to pay $21,466.64 in salary arrears to Mrs. Andreia Perdigao, a former air hostess who was wrongfully dismissed by the airline.
This decision, marked as SUIT NO.: NICN/LA/532/2017, brings a significant victory for Perdigao, who had been seeking justice and her unpaid wages since her termination in 2017.
Mrs. Perdigao, who worked with Arik Air for approximately three years, took legal action against her former employer after being dismissed in March 2017.
She sought the court’s intervention to recover her unpaid salaries from December 2016 to March 2017, which amounted to $2,683.33 per month. The total arrears for the eight months were calculated at $21,466.64.
In his judgment, Justice M.N. Esowe affirmed that a valid contract of employment existed between Mrs. Perdigao and Arik Air, thus entitling her to the claimed salaries.
“It is declared that the defendants are bound to pay to the claimant eight months’ arrears of salary for the months of August 2016 through December 2016 and for the months of January 2017 to March 2017 when the 1st Defendant wrongfully terminated the Claimant’s employment,” Justice Esowe stated.
The court further directed Arik Air to pay Mrs. Perdigao an additional $2,683.33 as general damages for breach of contract.
Furthermore, the court ordered that the airline must pay interest at a rate of 15 percent on all the judgment sums from the date of delivery of the judgment until full payment is made.
The court’s decision, dated May 9, has yet to be enforced by Arik Air. When contacted, Adebajo Ola, Head of Corporate Communications at Arik Air, stated he was unaware of the ruling.
“I am not aware of the case. I will need to find out,” Ola said, upon receiving the document and suit information from our correspondent.
This ruling highlights the ongoing issues faced by employees within the aviation sector regarding wrongful termination and unpaid wages.
The judgment serves as a reminder to employers about the legal obligations they hold towards their staff and reinforces the judiciary’s role in upholding employees’ rights.
Mrs. Perdigao’s victory may pave the way for other employees in similar situations to seek justice and proper compensation for wrongful dismissals and unpaid wages.
The case also underscores the importance of adhering to contractual agreements and ensuring fair treatment of employees in all sectors.
