By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Omoye Esther

LAGOS—MARITIME Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, yesterday, in Lagos, said no fewer than 6000 workers have lost their jobs, with many companies folding up. He also noted that several shipping companies had relocated to other countries in the last one year due to the prevailing economic recession in the country.

President-General of MWUN, Mr. Emmanuel Anthony Nted, who disclosed this at the union’s National Executive Council, NEC, and Special Delegates Conference, lamented that the union was facing a very difficult task of protecting the jobs of members in all branches.

According to Nted, where Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA,/Condition of Services negotiations are  due for a review, the union is now forced to accept marginal increases where possible and trade-off increment with withdrawal of redundancy threats.

He said: “The economic recession is really biting the union very hard. I feel sad to say that over six thousand, 6000, members of our union have lost their jobs since the recession began and many more are facing job insecurity.”