NPA SSA VS MWUN: SOLIDARITY FOR EVER, NEVER AGAIN?
What is today known as the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is a marriage of four unions within the junior cadre in the Nigerian maritime sector. The MWUN comprises of: NPA branch, Dockworkers branch, Seamen and Water Transport branch as well as the Shipping and Courier branch. They were distinct unions until the labour reforms of the early 1990s which led to their merger and the birth of MWUN with its first President General being Comrade Uzoije Ukaumunna. He was succeeded by Comrade Onikolease Irabor and lately, the incumbent; Comrade Tony Nted Emmanuel who mounted the saddle in March 2009.
But the history of NPA Workers Union can not be complete without an adequate mention of Comrade Billy Oroh who is arguably one of the most respected union leaders that NPA has ever produced.
While the labour reforms of he 1990s affected NPA Workers’ Union, the organisation’s senior staff association remained intact; albeit, under an umbrella national association; that is, the Senior Staff Association of Communications , Transport and Corporations (SSACTAC) which, as the name implies takes care of senior employees of agencies under both the transport ministry and the communication ministry. It is currently being led by a senior staff of NPA, in the person of Comrade Adetunji Adesunkanmi. Comrade Adesunkanmi had worked under late Comrade Peter Abolarin (in the Senior Staff Association of NPA). It was from NPA that Abolarin went into SSACTAC as its President General, until he died a few years back.
But within the Senior Staff fold in NPA, history will remember the efforts of Comrades Adebule and Maidambe, who held forth at different times as presidents.
History will also remember the collaboration between Adebule (SSA) and Oroh (NPA Workers Union), between Maidambe and Ukaumunna and most importantly between Irabor and late Abolarin and between Irabor and Umar (who stepped in after the death of Abolarin).
It is a known fact that the past is a significant determinant of the present. This is why this piece has taken the pains reminiscent on the relationship which existed between past leaders of both the NPA Workers Union (now MWUN) and the SSA of NPA. The essence is to appraise the current relationship pattern between the leadership of the two NPA House Unions.
Certainly, the recent reaction of the MWUN to the two-day warning strike that was embarked upon by the senior staff association would make past leaders of the two unions cringe wherever they are. For whatever it is worth, the Comrade Tony Nted Emmanuel-led MWUN didn’t act fairly; especially by publicly dissociating the MWUN from its SSA counterparts.
Past leaders; especially, the immediate past PG of the MWUN, Comrade Onikolease Irabor never openly disagreed with late Comrade Abolarin of SSA and even his successor; Comrade Omeiza Jimoh; especially during those critical days when the two unions were negotiating with the Federal Government over port concessioning and workers’ entitlements. It is on records that even when some workers were accusing late Abolarin (even in death) of working against the interests of the workers, Comrade Irabor stood in stout defence of the departed labour leader.
What the Comrade Omeiza Jimoh-led SSA fought for were not for the senior staff alone, it was for NPA workers in general and it stands to reason that if not for anything, but because of the affirmed and age-long solidarity, the MWUN ought not to have completely and openly distanced itself from the agitation of its senior colleagues.
A look at the workers’ demands as tabled in March, this year by the two House unions at a meeting with the management of NPA revealed that they are: non-implementation of agreed minimum standard for dockworkers, tally clerks and on-board security, non-payment of outstanding severance benefits to dockworkers, non-payment of gratuity to retired NPA workers, non-payment of monetisation arrears to NPA workers, non-payment of the agreed 2008 Christmas bonus to NPA workers, non-implementation of new NPA condition of service and reinstatement of NPA workers whose appointments were erroneously terminated. These demands also took care of the dockworkers, where then did the SSA go round by only wanting to pinch the management of NPA to wake up and answer the workers!
By its recent action, what the MWUN did was tantamount to washing the dirty linen of NPA workers in public and damning the consequences. The consequences may not be immediate, but it is certainly greater that what it may expect. First, it has demystified hitherto existing NPA trade union fraternity and exposed it to possible division which the management may (some day) use in its (management’s) favour. The second likely consequence is that one good (or bad) turn today will certainly deserve another; some day. Third, and very importantly, the success that the strike recorded has weakened the hitherto much –touted strength of the MWUN as the most potent union whenever industrial disputes arise. Were it not for dockworkers that are no longer on the pay roll of NPA who were at work at the various terminals, the strike would have definitely and totally paralysed port operations.
Whatever it is that caused the action of the MWUN is unacceptable. It is either borne out of ego, informed by inadequate information or outright disrespect for the longstanding cordial relationship between the two unions. The elders of both unions should immediately awake and commence the process of mending the broken fences.
As for the management of NPA, it is better to have a united workers union than to negotiate with a union that is polarised along senior and junior dichotomy.
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