Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of a terminal operator; Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) and a shipping agency; Cyrille Bollore demanding to know the fate of its members over plans by Swiss container shipping major, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to acquire both companies.
Recall that MSC had last year submitted an offer to acquire 100% of Bolloré Africa Logistics, comprising all of the Bolloré Group’s transport and logistics activities in Africa.
The ultimatum was contained in a letter addressed to the management of both companies. It was titled: Re- Important Announcement from Cyrille Bollore: Demand to Know the Fate of Our Members.
In the letter, which was made available to our correspondent on Tuesday and signed by Oniha Erazua on behalf of the Secretary General of MWUN, the President; Comrade Adewale Adeyanju lamented the continued refusal of TICT and Bollore to respond to enquiries by the union on the acquisition plan.
He said the union had first written to both companies on September 14, 2022 to know the fate of its members, but noted that the companies’ management have since remained silent and failed to engage the union on the matter.
Consequently, the union has issued a seven- day ultimatum to both TICT and Bollore demanding to know the fate of its members and the next line of action in the event of management changes in the two organisations.
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The union specifically called attention to issues regarding the retention of their members’ jobs or eventual payoff.
The union threatened that at the expiration of the seven- day notice, it will be forced to withdraw its services from the port if its demands are not met.
It stated that this has become necessary in the face of rising agitation and restiveness in the un-clear effect of the aftermath of the acquisition on members job retention or outright payoff.
The statement reads in part: “We are surprised that despite the very sensitive and germane matter the letter sought answer to, your management is yet to respond, thereby giving room to suspicion and negative speculations on the fate of our members- your employers, at the end of the company’s acquisition process”.
“On the strength of the above and given the increasing restiveness of our members, I am directed to give you notice of a seven-day ultimatum starting from the date of this letter within which your management is expected to furnish us with the information requested”.
“Please note that the union would take all necessary redemptive means to protect the interest of our members, including withdrawing our services at the expiration of this ultimatum”. The letter added.
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