Maritime Workers Union Issues INTELS 7-Days Ultimatum to Recall 600 Sacked Workers
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a 7-days notice to the management of INTELS Nigeria Limited at Onne Port, Rivers State, asking her to recall back the 600 workers that were sacked by the company.
The 7-days notice which was signed by the Secretary General of MWUN, Comrade Felix Akingboye was issued today, Wednesday 14th 2020.
Recall that INTELS recently terminated contracts with its subsidiary; Associate Maritime Services (AMS) which led to AMS rendering about 600 of its staff redundant. AMS provides maritime services to INTELS. They are like contractors to INTELS.
MWUN is however demanding that INTELS must withdrew all the letters of redundancy and termination issued to the workers within 7days or else, the union would withdraw all its workers from INTELS.
MWUN argued that over the years, the welfare benefits of INTELS employees and that of its subsidiary Company, (AMS) has always been the product of joint negotiation between Management and the Union. In other words, the employees of the Principal i.e. Intels Nigeria Ltd. and its subsidiary AMS enjoy the same welfare benefits.
“Recently, your Management declared about thirty (30) of its empioyees redundant and the Union was duly consulted, and a joint communique between Management and the Union was issued after due negotiation”
“Regrettably however, we are informed that your Management has terminated its contract with Associate Maritime Services (AMS) which has led to over 600 workers (who are our members) being declared redundant without due recourse to the Union for the negotiation of their terminal benefits”
“Letters of termination/redundancy, we are informed, had already been served on the workers”
“This unfair labour practice is not acceptable to us hence, I have been directed to issue your Management with a seven (7) day Notice effective from the date of this ultimatum, within which to withdrawal all the letters of termination/redundancy served on the workers and reca|l them to duty, otherwise, we shall be compelled to withdraw our services from your terminal at the expiration of the Notice”
“Meanwhile, we demand that status quo ante should remain pending when a Management/Union meeting is convened to negotiate their exit and payment of terminal benehts” the letter stated
The striking workers had on Tuesday blocked the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) gate at Onne Port, insisting that no one will go out or come in until their entitlements were settled.
