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By Bimbola Oyesola
Following the intervention of the Ministry of Transport, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has suspended the seven-day ultimatum issued to shipping lines over their alleged refusal to negotiate the minimum standard for their workers’ compensation policy.
According to the leadership of the union, the suspension was informed by the intervention of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
“The Ministry of Transport through the Nigeria Shippers Council has intervened and has called for a meeting scheduled for 13th April 2023 to hold at the Nigeria Shippers Council in Lagos,” the union stated at the weekend.
The union had in February, issued a seven-day strike notice to shipping companies in Nigeria over alleged anti-labour practices.
The union then threatened to cripple the operations of the shipping companies at the expiration of the ultimatum if its grievances were not addressed.
The President-General of MWUN, Adewale Adeyanju noted that the ultimatum, which took effect from Thursday 17 February 2023, was to compel the shipping lines to sign a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the union, failure, which workers would withdraw their services from the companies.
He said while other branches of MWUN had existing CBA with their employers, the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), which is the umbrella body for multinational shipping companies operating in the country was “dodging its responsibility”, by expecting workers to negotiate individually with their employers.
“The shipping companies are making so much money at the expense of Nigerian workers,” he stated.
