After weeks of evasion by multinational shipping lines operating in Nigeria, the much-expected meeting between them and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has held.
Our correspondent confirmed that, the meeting which held in Apapa, Lagos after the intervention of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Details of the meeting which was obtained by Shipping Daily Position revealed that, a five-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the union and the shipping lines.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that the MWUN had earlier threatened to shut ports operation over poor wages and terminal benefits of its members. It also issued a 21-day ultimatum to shipping companies.
The union had in a letter dated February 2, 2020 and addressed to the Chairman, Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), expressed disappointment that its request for a meeting since May 2019 to negotiate an upward review of overdue terminal benefits currently being paid to workers, has been without a response.
The MWUN had accused the shipping lines of unfair labour practices, , they alleged that, “in most cases workers have been stagnated on one salary structure for over 20 years, worst wage structure, anti – union activities, burdensome tariff regimes etc.”
But, the MoU that was signed covers workers’ retirement age, terminal benefits /gratuity, taxation, outsourcing and international training support.
The meeting was attended by Grimaldi, Comet, CMACGM, GAC, MSC, GMT, ONE, LANSAL, and COSCO among others, on the part of the shipping lines. It was also attended by a 12-member team from the MWUN led by its President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju.
The meeting agreed that the issues raised in the MoU should be incorporated into an existing procedural agreement that was signed in 2010.
The Meeting also agreed that the shipping lines would constitute a committee within one month to review the five issues and report back.
Reacting to the agreement, the President General of MWUN; Comrade Adewale Adeyanju confirmed that the meeting held, even as he expressed optimism that the shipping lines would abide by the agreement as reached at the meeting.
“Yes, we met, we were all there and we signed a communiqué which spelt out what they(shipping lines) are to do, they said 30 days, we will meet again, and we hope that, by then, all the issues would be resolved”.
Recall that, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had waded into the face-off between the union and shipping lines.
In a statement that was signed by the Deputy Secretary General of the union, Comrade Abdul Eroje, the MWUN had disclosed that after waiting endlessly for response from the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN); which is the umbrella body for all shipping lines operating in Nigeria, the union brought it to the attention of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
According to the MWUN, the NLC pleaded that there should be industrial harmony in the maritime sector, and called for a 21-day grace period for the shipping lines to call for a meeting with the union.
But the MWUN president general; Comrade Adeyanju acknowledged that the intervention of the NLC assisted greatly.
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