After disrupting operations at the terminals of APM Terminal in Lagos ports over the weekend, embittered employees of the private terminal, finally agreed to sheath their sword in an industrial dispute which caught port users unawares last weekend. They are members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
After disrupting operations at the terminals of APM Terminal in Lagos ports over the weekend, embittered employees of the private terminal, finally agreed to sheath their sword in an industrial dispute which caught port users unawares last weekend. They are members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
Although, the dispute was amicably resolved last Saturday with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties, the leadership of the union told Shipping Position Daily yesterday that the union was pushed to the wall by the unfair manner in which the private terminal operator has been treating its workers.
President of the dockworkers branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju told our correspondent that the union had no choice than to shut down the terminal, because, according to him, the union is not happy with the way the terminal operator is treating its workers.
“They (APMT) have no respect for Nigerians; they treat our members like slaves in our father’s land. Please quote me; APMT treats us like slaves, they have no respect for Nigerian workers”, he alleged.
On how the union was able to succeed in its bargain with the management of the union, Comrade Adeyanju acknowledged that getting things from APMT is usually not a tea party, but disclosed that the union had made up its mind that there was no going back.
For seven years, we have not been able to secure any good working condition for our members from them, but with God on our side, we have been able to agree on some things.
He gave an insight into some of the issues were resolved. According to him, most importantly it was agreed that arrears in respect of the agreements must be paid before August 15, 2013.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that the union had last Friday shut down APMT and threatened to make the operations of the company in Nigeria unprofitable if the management continued with its alleged unfair practices against Nigerian workers.
Both the union and the terminal operator have been having running battles over improved conditions of service for workers. Things were said to have got to a head during negotiation for increase in allowances and other benefits.
And while confirming events that led to the strike, President-General of the union, Comrade Anthony Emmanul Nted, said the action was in protest against the management over protracted negotiation for improved conditions of service which began in April 2013.
“When it was time to review the condition of service for our members, we met with management in April this year and they said the education subsidy and other subsidies they are offering will be deducted from workers’ salaries.“This, we said, is unacceptable. This negotiation has protracted for a long time and workers have become restless. That is why we embarked upon a work-to-rule action which is intended to slow down production”.
According to him, “APMT discharges not less than 420,000 containers every year and generates over $7 billion yearly, but yet they cannot take care of their workers. Rather, they repatriate the profit to their country.”
He decried the hazardous environment under which members (especially those working in the cranes) were exposed to blaming it to the failure by management to put in place occupational safety and health measures in the workplace.
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