Maritime workers threaten strike

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

LAGOS – MARITIME Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, has issued a 14-day ultimatum to terminal operators in the nation’s seaport to review the minimum standard agreement for dockworkers failing which the all the ports operations in the country would be shut down.

At its Special Delegates Conference, SDC, weekend in Lagos, the union faulted perceived  refusal by the operators to review the minimum standard agreement one year after the expiration of the subsisting agreement to the detriment of workers.

President General-General of MWUN, Comrade Emmanuel Anthony Nted, while addressing delegates, said the delay had caused lots of restiveness among the dockworkers in the seaports and the leadership of the union was finding it difficult to calm them.

He said: “The dockworkers minimum standard agreement became due for review in June 2010 but up till now, meaningful negotiation has not commenced on the review, despite the one month’s notice served on the Seaport Terminal Operators Association in September 2010.

“The dockworkers have now become more restive over the issue, hence our 14-day ultimatum for a reviewed condition of service for the dockworkers to be put in place.

“As a union we have done our very best to sustain peace in the industry and cannot be blamed for the consequences of their refusal/failure to heed this alert.”

Explaining reason for the SDC, Comrade Nted said the conference was specially convened to amend the union’s constitution as recommended by the National Executive Council, NEC, of the union at its meeting held on October 2010.

According to him, “the main trust of the Constitution Amendment is to provide a lasting legal platform for regulation of the union’s electoral processes.”