The labor ministry in Jonglei State has advised the management of Radio Jonglei 95.9 FM to reinstate volunteers whose services they had terminated, citing unfair dismal.
The volunteers who include the news editor, Deng Gai, finance officer, Aluel Kut Angeth, and reporters, Lueth James, Chol Makol, and Mach Gabriel had their services verbally terminated by the Radio Jonglei boss, Tijwog Agwet, two weeks ago. The volunteers then challenged their dismissal and sought legal redress.
Moses Marial Achol, the state labor ministry’s director for labor and industrial relations, in a letter addressed to Radio Jonglei on Thursday, canceled the termination of the volunteers because it was nonprocedural.
“All the parties to the dispute have agreed on the employment and it was an oral contract and others have expired contracts not renewed nor terminated. An employment contract can be oral or written in accordance with Labour Act 2017 section 42 (1), (2), (3), and (4), “partly read the letter. “In accordance with Labour Act section 43 (3), an oral contract is deemed valid.”
It added, “With above evidence, the labour directorate has decided to cancel termination of the above plaintiffs and advised management to reinstate them.”
When contacted by Radio Tamazuj, Marial confirmed the authenticity of the letter but declined to comment saying the issue is administrative and that he was not allowed to speak to the media.
For his part, Tijwog Agwet, the station’s chief executive officer, said they have yet to respond to labour ministry’s decision.
“We were served with the document. As a board, we will sit on Thursday and then respond to them (Labour ministry),” he said.