The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has lampooned it members for failing to carry the union along during the process of job search and placement, a situation it said has leads to cheating and unfavourably working condition for the seafarers by employers
The union also stated that the seamen are not properly protected because they fail to carry the union along due to selfish reasons.
The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has lampooned it members for failing to carry the union along during the process of job search and placement, a situation it said has leads to cheating and unfavourably working condition for the seafarers by employers
The union also stated that the seamen are not properly protected because they fail to carry the union along due to selfish reasons.
President of the union, Engineer Matthew Alalade in an exclusive chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos on Wednesday revealed that members of the body report on a daily basis how they are been treated by ship owners, especially Nigerians.
Alalade said that despite the selfish interest by some members, the union will continue to extend the olive branch so as to prove a point in such a way that it will continue to fight for members willing to involve the outfit during job processing.
According to him, all parties involved in tripartite arrangement have failed to meet the MLC 2006 provisions.
He added that the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the ship owners and the seafarers have failed to comply with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 regulation.
Alalade further blamed seafarers who are members of the union for failing to reach proper agreement with their employers, stressing that the seafarers also failed to carry the union along in the course of securing employment.
“I will not indict the ship owners alone, rather I will indict the seafarers who are our members"
"The MLC 2006 states categorically that it’s a tripartite agreement and when the seafarers go on board the ship, it is an agreement between the ship owner, government and the seafarer"
"They will not carry the union along in the process along therefore sign agreement that are unfavourable to them", he pointed out.
According to him, some of the seafarers do not even enter any form of agreement with the employer, pointing out that "it is only when they have issues with the ship owners that they will remember that a union exists that can protect their interest.
He explained further that the ratings who are members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) are better organised compared to senior officers who are members of the merchant navy outfit.
He alleged that some of the ships are not in class noting that foreigners have utilised such opportunities to run the indigenes out of business.
"I want to say categorically ship owners are supposed to pay the benchmark wages that were agreed upon by government agency, which is NIMASA"
The unions boss also explained that a large number of ship owners no longer have contract to execute because foreigners counterparts have hijacked their jobs.
He said that "most of our vessels are not in class which is a deficiency on the part of our local operators and create an avenue of negligence by the oil and gas operators"
"Their foreign counterparts have vessels that are in class’, they are always making it difficult for them to get jobs"
He also added jobs meant for indigenous operators are even hijacked in neighbouring countries, urging government to encourage the Nigerian ship owners.
"If the ship owners are able to keep their vessels in shape, I believe they will be jobs for them anywhere, but once they do it the Nigerian way it will be difficult for because shipping is international business".
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