Business
Maritime Workers Embark On Indefinite Strike
The Maritime Workers
Union of Nigeria (MWUN) yesterday embarked on a nationwide strike over lingering disputes with government.
The union in a statement signed by its Deputy Secretary General, Comrade Edwin Sambo, said the strike action of the union was informed by the need to force government through the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to address the lingering issue of Tally/Clerk on-board security minimum standard for dockworkers and staff welfare matters.
The union said the ultimatum given to government to address the issues of the tally clerk/on-board security among other pending issues had expired on December 15, and hence the need of the union to embark on the strike.
The statement said prior to the strike, operators were put on notice so that they would not be caught unaware since the union said they believed that government had concluded plans to do away with the tally clerks/on-board security despite their importance to port operations and National Security.
The union said the unresolved issues are affecting the welfare and take-home pay of the union members, stressing that the union’s consultations and meetings with government and ports stakeholders have not yielded any positive result.
It lamented a situation where ultimatums have been issued and agreements reached at meetings only for the government, through NPA, not to respect such agreements for effective implementation.
Philip Okparaji