Maritime Workers Union Of Nigeria (MWUN) has complained about the poor retirement benefit of shipping company’s personnel and has called for a quick review of the package for improved welfare of the personnel concerned.
The President General of the union, Prince Dr. Waheed Adewale Adeyanju made this known on Wednesday at the Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Shipping, Clearing and Forwarding Agencies branch of the union, held in Lagos at the National secretariat.
Comrade Adeyanju described the shipping sub sector in Nigeria to have come under siege, following poor retirement benefits for workers and their conditions of service.
He warned members of the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) to be ready, as the union will spring into action once the elections are concluded, adding that the state of emergency declared earlier still prevails.
In his words: “I also want to quickly use this medium to call on members of the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) to urgently institute the process for upward review of the very poor retirement benefit of shipping companies personnel and their condition of service which is virtually non-existent.
“Comrades, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the shipping sector is under siege, I dare say this because records show that our members in the shipping sector have over the years been underpaid and overworked. This must be stopped now. I am therefore requesting for an overhaul of the remuneration system currently operative in the shipping sector.
“Another problem in this sector is the issue of outsourcing of jobs such as security, accounting, human resources, operations, which ordinarily can be efficiently handled by Nigerians but are contracted out this, throwing very qualified Nigerians into the labour market to their detriment and growing the unemployment market,’. The union boss said.
Earlier in his address, the President of shipping, clearing and forwarding agencies workers branch of the union, Comrade Ekpeyong Ekpeyong , who was reelected unopposed for another four years term, stated that his administration achieved an above average performance in their core responsibilities despite the deteriorating harsh economic conditions and the negative impact on the costs of doing business in the maritime industry coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic.
He highlighted some of his achievements to include; an appreciable upward review of Workers’ Union of service in the industry through yearly plant by plant Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations despite the retrogressive attitude of some employers who work against workers’ progress.
Improved redundancy package as a guide in the industry, drastic reduction in number of casual/contract workers, introduction of annual education allowance with ongoing efforts to replicate it in the industry.
He hinted others to include unionisation of workers of the the following companies: GMT Shipping and Logistics, Sinoma Cargo International Ltd, Inchcape Shipping Services, Hapag-Lloyd Shipping, Truck/Light Drivers in WACT, Onne among others and also maintenance of enduring peace in the industry.
Comrade Ekpeyong however informed the conference on the situation of the three unit officers whose appointments were purportedly terminated due to protest.
” Comrades , let me use this opportunity to inform the conference in session that even though GMT Nigeria limited has since commenced deductions/remittance of our members’ check-off dues after a serious legal battle, they are still not yet fully compliance with the industrial standard on related labour issues to which we are back in court seeking for restoration of three of the unit officers whose appointments were terminated due to workers protest against unfair labour practice and anti union stance of the management.
” In line with our union axion of ” Injury to one is I jury to all”, the branch had placed the three affected officers on an appreciable monthly wages since the unfortunate incident happened late 2019″ he said.
