By Kenneth Jukpor
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to join the Maritime Worker’s Union of Nigeria (MWUN) in it’s planned strike action if the conflict with International Oil Companies (IOCs) remains unresolved after the two weeks grace period.
The NLC made its position known in a letter signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and addressed to the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi on March 3rd, 2022.
The Labour Congress lamented that the Transport Ministry hasn’t taken a stand on the issue despite MWUN’s efforts to bring the matter to the Ministry on several occasions to the extent of issuing ultimatums and strike actions in the past including 3-days warning strike which was eventually suspended and 14-days Notice of Strike Action issued in April 2021.
“We write to seek the firm intervention of the Transportation Minister to prevent the shutdown of all maritime operations in Nigeria any moment from now as the union is poised to take action at the expiration of the two weeks’ timeline. Any action undertaken by our affiliate union – Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria – at the expiration of the two weeks ultimatum will receive the full backing and solidarity support from the Nigeria Labour Congress,” the NLC letter read.
Part of the letter read; “We write to bring to the attention of the Honourable Minister a lingering issue in the maritime sector that is about to shatter the industrial peace and harmony that has been conscientiously built through the interventions of the Honourable Minister and the efforts of our union in the sector – the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.”
“In line with extant maritime laws in Nigeria especially the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act, 2007, a Government Marine Notice No. 106, 2014 was issued to stakeholders in the sector. The Government Marine Notice 106 mandated all companies and persons engaged in stevedoring work including Dock Labour Employer and Private Operators of any work location including Ports, Jetties, Onshore or Offshore Oil and Gas or Bonded Terminals, Inland Container Depots (ICDs), off Dock Terminal, Dry Ports and Platforms to engage stevedoring workers and companies to carry out the operations on their platforms and premises.”
“Government Marine Notice 106 is also in tandem with Article 3 (2) of International Labour Organization (ILO) Dock Work Convention 137 which Nigeria ratified on the 22nd of March 2004, and which states that registered dockworkers shall have priority of engagement for dock work. Unfortunately, while other operators in the sector have allowed registered stevedoring companies and dock workers access to their platforms and premises in compliance with the Marine Notice 106, International Oil Companies (IOCs) have been in wilful disobedience to the directives contained in Government Marine Notice 106.”
The Labour Congress also recalled that at a meeting held on 30th June 2021 on the matter, the Transport Minister directed the International Oil Companies to comply fully and immediately within seven days with the provisions of Government Marine Notice 106. Sadly, but the IOCs flagrantly disregarded the Minister’s directives.
Noting that the matter has festered for four years without any solution forcing MWUN to issue a notice for an indefinite strike action which was billed to take effect from 1st March 2022, but averted after the intervention of NPA and Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), NLC urged the Ministry to address the issue.
Meanwhile, the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju told our correspondent that Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is scheduled to have a meeting with some representatives of IOCs, MWUN leadership and NLC bosses in Lagos today.
