The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has raised an alarm over the unpaid salaries of its members employed by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
According to a press release issued on Wednesday and duly signed on behalf of the union by the Deputy Secretary General of MWUN, Oniha Erazua, the union expressed frustration over nine months of salary arrears owed to its members and warned of an impending industrial crisis in the maritime sector if the situation is not resolved.
According to the statement, MWUN has made several efforts to resolve the matter amicably through various ultimatums and mediatory meetings, including the latest one held in Abuja on September 18, 2024.
However, the union claims that the management of CRFFN, led by its Acting Registrar, has repeatedly ignored these attempts and failed to uphold resolutions that prioritize staff welfare.
One of these resolutions, according to MWUN, stipulated that available funds should first be allocated to staff salaries before other expenses are considered.
MWUN expressed its dismay at the continued disregard for this agreement, accusing the CRFFN management of organizing a selective training program while ignoring the backlog of unpaid salaries.
The Union further criticized CRFFN for what it described as a nonchalant attitude towards the welfare of its employees.
In its statement, MWUN issued a stern warning that if the management of CRFFN does not immediately settle the outstanding salary arrears, the union will be forced to withdraw the services of its members.
This action would affect operations at the Nigerian Ports Authority, dock labor, shipping and freight forwarding agencies, and seamen across all ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms nationwide.
The union called on relevant authorities to take note of the situation, emphasizing that it can no longer tolerate what it considers impunity by the CRFFN.
