Maritime Workers Disrupt Port Activities Over Poor Pay

Following the intervention of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has suspended the ongoing strike against shipping companies operating at the nation’s seaports for one month.

LEADERSHIP reports that economic activities were earlier paralysed at the Lagos Port complexes – Apapa and Tin-Can Island – as maritime workers disrupted activities over the poor remuneration of its members by shipping companies operating in Nigeria.

The protesting workers, however, shut down the offices of Maersk Line, Five Star Logistics and other shipping companies across the port area.

The workers accused the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), the parent body of all foreign shipping lines in Nigeria, for disregarding directives of the federal government and failing to increase workers welfare for the past six years.

However, it was gathered that Shippers’ Council mediated due to breakdown of negotiations between the Union and the Shipping Companies/Agencies and Freight Forwarders Employers Association (SCAFFEA) on minimum standard of condition of service in the shipping industry.

At the meeting held at the Council’s training room, yesterday, there was a tripartite agreement among the union leader, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, executive secretary, Nigerian Shipper’s Council, Emmanuel Jime and representatives of SCAFFEA, Ascanio Russo.

In a communique issued after the meeting, MWUN and SCAFFEA expressed commitment to the sincere negotiations on the Minimum Standard of Condition of Service in the Industry.

It further explained that all parties agreed to a timeline of one month starting from Monday, 5th June, 2023 to 4th July, 2023 for completion of the negotiations.

The communique also stated that all parties agreed to establish an acceptable minimum standards on the Condition of Service (CoS) in the shipping industry, especially on gratuity, adding that based on the above, the Maritime Workers Union agreed to suspend the ongoing industrial action.

Meanwhile, speaking on why they embarked on the strike, Comrade Adeyanju said several ultimatums had been issued to the shipping companies but all to no avail.

He said: “The former minister of transportation, Muazu Jaji Sambo, had directed the Nigerian Shippers Council to midwife the process between MWUN and Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN). There have been meetings upon meetings at the instance of the executive secretary of the Shippers Council, but the attitude of the shipping companies 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. SAN is running away from its responsibility. The Shipping Branch of MWUN would be forced to withdraw the services of their members from Nigerian seaports all over Nigeria because we only suspended the ultimatum; from the way it is now, we need to renew it.

“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 nonchalant attitude of SAN that is making us take this step.”