CASUALISATION: Union Raises Concern Over Constant Downsizing Of Workers By Shipping Line Agencies

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN),Shipping and Freight Forwarding Branch on Friday , raised for concern the urgent need by the federal government and National Assembly to caution shipping line agencies over downsizing of workers .

The union also disclosed that in the last six years, there has been massive jobless of workers in the sub sector, hence the need for government to put the multinationals in check.

Recall that the union’s President General , Comrade Adewale Adeyanju had issued a 21-day ultimatum to shipping companies operation in the country over poor renumeration for workers.

Adeyanju also reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to ensure that the port corridors are free from gridlock, urging the conglomerates to acquire holding bays and parking lots in order to encourage easy movement of vehicles.

 

 

Similarly, the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Labour Act to criminalise casualisation of workers in Nigeria.

But in a renewed efforts to draw the attention of the federal government and lawmakers over the “larger than life syndrome” of the shipping lines operating in Nigeria, National President, Shipping and Courier Branch,MWUN,Comrade Ekpeyong Etim Ekpeyong urged lawmakers to expedite actions on the passage of the bill that would stop outsourcing and employment of contract workers into law for the betterment of the citizens.

“We pray that the bill should sail through because the shipping sub sector has not benefitted in this regards. What the principals are doing now is to come to Nigeria and do business without regard for workers and the indigenous managers are not helping the issues because of selfish interest ”

The branch President also frowned at the lackluster attitude of the shipping lines to respond to issues affecting workers, adding that the union will not take it likely at the expiration of the 21- day ultimatum.

He alleged that the conglomerates are majorly concerned about profit making and not to better the lots of workers , pointing out that the employees are not carried along in the area of welfarism.

Comrade Ekpeyong lamented that ” despite the huge investment on infrastructure ,the conglomerates are basically concerned on how to maximize profit and not to improve on workers welfare.”

Though, the President admitted that the shipping line agencies have improved in the area of training and re- training of employees but added that renumeration of workers have not been encouraging in the last six years.

According to him, the protective agencies and services who understand the modalities of shipping business in the sub sector as third party ancillary service providers must be checked in order to encourage direct negotiation between the union and principal.

He lauded efforts of the leadership of the union over the engagement with employers in the sub sector of the maritime industry, noting that the branch would have embarked on industrial actions to drive home their demands on improved remuneration.

Also speaking, former President of the branch ,Comrade Uche Igwe Onu expressed dissatisfaction over the massive cut down of workers ,even as he lamented that in the last six years of the sub sector, there have been continuous downsizing of workforce.

Though no figure was attributed to mass job loss, Comrade Igwe Onu who is the current National Treasurer MWUN, affirmed that downsizing of workers in the sub sector can be attributed to outsourcing of responsibilities ,obligations and duties to third party by the multinationals which in turn has been unfavourable to Nigerian workers.

He said outsourcing of duties to third party vendors has led to massive job loss to all the four branches of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and not limited to shipping sub sector alone.

The former President reiterated the union’s commitment to strategic planning in resolving such challenges affecting members.

The bill, which seeks to prohibit engagement of casual workers beyond six months, was sponsored by Olawale Raji (APC, Lagos).

Leading the debate for the general principles of the bill, Mr Raji said the bill seeks to add a clause to the Act which provides that every worker shall enjoy full employment benefits as a permanent staff after six months of engagement.

The lawmaker stated that section 8 of the Act states that ‘every worker in Nigeria engaged or employed and has remained in such employment for a period of not less than six months shall have his engagement regularised by the employer as a full and permanent staff.”

He said such employer also will be entitled to all accompanying benefits.

 

 

By Roland Ekama