Maritime Workers Declares Strike from Monday Over Poor Remuneration by Shipping Companies
Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju
…Says Shippers Council Lost Control, its Regulatory Powers
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has declared an indefinite withdrawal of service of it’s members across Nigerian ports starting from Monday 5th of June 2023.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Thursday, President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju said the workers are going on strike due to poor remuneration by shipping companies operating in Nigeria.
Union warned that the strike action is going to be total, as the three other branches of the union namely; Dockworkers, Seafarers and NPA Branch are joining the strike as a mark of solidarity.
Adeyanju lamented that the port economic regulator; Nigerian Shippers Council has totally lost its control and regulatory powers over the shipping companies who have refused to obey the federal government interventions on the matter.
According to him, the matter has been dragging for the past six years, and the shipping companies have refused to implement a minimum standard for shipping companies workers.
Speaking he said “Several ultimatum has been issued to the shipping companies, the union is requesting a minimum standard for shipping workers.
“The former Minister of Transportation, Eng Muazu Jaji Sambo had directed the Nigerian Shippers Council to midwife the process between MWUN and Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN)
There has been meeting upon meeting at the instance of the Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council, but the attitude of the SAN is nothing to write home about.
“Yesterday, they were at the meeting and it did not go well, this is an embarrassment to us and even the Ministry of Transportation who initiated the idea.
As it is, the remuneration in the Shipping sector is like a death sentence, the SAN are running away from their responsibility.
“The Shipping Branch of MWUN would be forced to withdraw the services of their members from Nigerian seaports all over Nigeria as from Monday because we only suspended the ultimatum, from the way it is now, we need to renew it.
The three other branches of MWUN; Dockworkers, Seafarers and the NPA Branch are equally warming up for solidarity support.
“This matter is not new to all the stakeholders, ultimatums are given and they try to talk us out of it. Because of the sensitivity of the ports, we always weigh the options, but the way it is now, there is no way we are going to continue issuing ultimatums.
“The Minister did not make a mistake by asking the Shippers Council as an economic regulator to midwife this negotiation process, it is the non challant attitude of SAN that is making us take this step.
“The Shippers Council who happens to be the economic regulator, it’s like the SAN are above them, the shipping companies are more than the economic regulator and there is no way we can continue like that.
The matter has been dragging for the last six years” he said
Dock Workers Union of Liberia stand with our brothers and sisters from the Nigeria Maritime , Dock Workers Union and Seafarers , they deserve better. We will not stop till our voices are hear. Nigeria is our father land. Solidarity forever!!!!! Injury to One is Injury to All!!!!!!!