Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council; Mr Emmanuel Jime has urged the leadership of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to call off its three days warning strike, while assuring the union that he will intervene by pressing on the management of APMT to yield to the union’s demands.
Recall that, the union on July 20 shutdown operations at the APM Terminals in Apapa.
The MWUN is seeking to correct issues of poor welfare packages and anti-labour activities by the APMT management.
Jime while speaking on Thursday at the MWUN secretariat in Apapa disclosed that APM Terminal is losing $20,000 daily to every vessel calling at the terminal.
The Shippers’ Council boss appealed to the union to call-off the warning strike on account of his intervention, even as he assured that he was going to press on the APM terminal to agree with the union’s demands.
He explained that the strike will create an economic impact that will lead to losses on both sides of the table.
Jime who also expressed dissatisfaction regarding engagement of foreign expatriate for jobs that could be done by indigenous workers said: “I am particularly sad with the information I received today that foreigners are being brought to do jobs that Nigerians can do, there is really no excuse for that, we are going to step in, and it falls under our purview to insist. If you sign a concession agreement and there are laws, the job of the Shippers Council is to make sure that everybody keeps to the wording of that concession agreement.
“So, definitely, if you defaulted, then there is a sanction mechanism that can be used, and I want to assure you that once we get to that point where it is glare to us that somebody is willfully breaking the rules of this country, then sanctions must apply”.
“It is our desire to do everything that would not cripple the nation’s economy. I would like you to give me more time to have discussions with APMT over this issue, I know you have had discussions with them, I know they have not agreed, but please give me one more benefit of doubt, he pleaded.
Appealing to the union, he stated; “I want to assure you that we would let everybody know that, what is happening to our workers at APMT cannot be tolerated, I have that special platform to make the advocacy on your behalf. I want to walk out of here with a commitment that at least, we can suspend the downing of tools in the honour of my coming to visit you”.
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“If the strike continues, the terminal operators will be losing $20,000 per day for as long as this strike continues.
“This is the irony, what the workers are asking for, if you compare it to the loss that is being incurred, you can do the math. To be frank with you, a strike action should be the last resort”, he said.
Speaking earlier, the MWUN President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju had explained that the union was embarking on the strike as a result of the insensitivity of the terminal operator to the welfare of its workers, and the blatant refusal of the APMT management to improve upon the workers’ salaries despite several meetings and dialogue.
Adeyanju further lamented the poor treatment given to dockworkers by management of APMT which according to him, is not the same in other terminals.
“The other terminal operators take care of their workers’ welfare even without the union intervention, why must it be APM Terminal giving us problems? Are they bigger than Nigeria? This is the country that gave you this job, but now, you are telling the owners of the job that they don’t know what they are doing”, he lamented.
According to him, the union had held meetings with APM Terminal seven times to improve on welfare packages and remuneration of workers, but the terminal was adamant.
However, while responding to the plea by the Shippers Council boss, Adeyanju said the union would consider the appeal by consulting its relevant organs including its Central Working Committee (CWC) National Executive Council (NEC) and others to determine the next line of action.
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