The Solomon Islands' Court of Appeal has ended a seven-year battle between the National Union of Workers and Russel Islands Plantation Estate Limited or RIPEL in the company's favour.
The Solomon Star reports that the court dismissed the union's bid to overturn a March High Court ruling ordering it to pay the company just over nine-hundred-thousand US dollars in compensation for unlawful strike action, damage to property and other criminal acts.
RIPEL was a key producer of cocoa and copra products and a major contributor to the economy until it became embroiled in court action with the workers, who began striking in June 2004, and their union.
Workers had accused the company of human rights abuses, mismanagement, and unfair dismissals of staff.
