The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has reaffirmed it readiness to resist any form of foul play by organisations that have engaged members, saying there are alleged secret attempt by some managements to convert government lockdown period to the annual leave and to further cut down workers salaries and other incentives.
President General of the union,Comrade Adewale Adeyanju in his May 1st Workers’ Day message, expressed worries over the alleged secret attempt by some management to
force workers to convert the lockdown period occasioned by government pronouncement for their annual leave .
Though the union declined to disclose names of employers or companies involved in the alleged cut down of salaries and leave, Comrade Adeyanju affirmed that the Union has been informed that some managements have issued internal memo to this effect, even as he condemned attempts to turn workers’ rights without recourse to normal consideration and processes.
He assured that such moves will be resisted with all the arsenals at its disposal within the ambit of law.
“Comrades, most disheartening is the attempt by some unscrupulous management
to cut the salaries, wages and allowance of our members without any probable
cause.
“We find it strange that workers will be subjected to punishment for a
situation that is entirely out of their scope of control. This we will resist and resist
with all the arsenals at our disposal within the ambit of law.
“All management considering such gimmick are hereby put on notice.
“Our goal as a union is and has always been to support and assist our members to
attain a high degree of bearable livelihood.
“As labour leaders we promise to remain on guard and jealously protect jobs, wages,
income and livelihood of our members at this trying time.
“Our efforts will be focused on maintaining, respecting and improving upon existing collective bargaining agreements and all such sundry matters of job welfare.
“On this matter, we stand with the Nigeria Labour Congress who have acknowledged that despite the known fact that workers produce capital, they are always relegated and at the receiving end and state that any move to deduct the salaries, wages, allowances and downsizing of Nigerian workers at this time is illogical and illegal and therefore must be resisted.
He further assured members that the union will continue to fight for the benefit of all in the face of seemingly sapping odds and stand by the watch word ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’.
The union boss also called on the federal government and its partners to put in place stringent measures to improve the access roads to the port.
While harping on the need to be carried along in decision making under the pandemic,the MWUN boss called on the Federal Government to include the labour group into the already set up COVID19 Ports Committee.
“On this note we call on the Federal Government to immediately as a matter of
urgency equip and direct the relevant agency to the need to boost sensitization of
our members in the quay apron as well as all other port users and stakeholders in
tow.
“We are committed to safeguarding all our members, and will continue to monitor,
implement and improve measures to prevent the covid-19 disease from spreading.
“We hope this will help strengthen and enlarge the scope and reach of the union’s ongoing sensitization programme of its members.
“We want to use this medium to appeal for the inclusion of a union representative in
the already set up COVID19 Ports Committee.
” We suggest that the mandate of the committee be inclusive of the continuous review of preventive measures for the workforce and monitor all protocols so that all changes are to be implement through the appropriate collective bargaining agreements and labour relations structure.
However, Adeyanju commended efforts of workers on the frontline of the fight against the COVID -19 pandemic,adding that “As we recognize the decent wórk by these gallant men and women, we wish to pay tribute to those members who paid the ultimate price of death in the line of duty,
they are our heroines and heroes.
He also commended the supervising ministries and government agencies in the maritime industry for the support and prompt intervention on labour related issues.
Adeyanju also commend terminal operators led by Princess Vicky Haastrup and assuring them that union shall remain in close contact with industry partners, relevant regulators and
heafth authorities regarding the implementation of measures against the spreading of the coronavirus and we will continue to adhere to their advice.
