MWUN threatens strike over nine months unpaid CRFFN workers’ salaries 

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a stern warning to the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to settle the nine-month salary arrears owed its employees who are members of the Union.

The union’s President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, in a statement warned that if the arrears are not paid, the union will embark on a strike, withdrawing services from all ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms.

The statement issued by Comrade Oniha Erazua on behalf of the Secretary General said the Union has exhausted all avenues for resolution, including issuing ultimatums and engaging in mediatory meetings, which have been ignored by CRFFN’s Ag. Registrar.

MWUN also frown at CRFFN’s decision to organize a training program, which it described as ‘Kangaroo’ for select staff while leaving unpaid salaries unresolved.

The statement reads, “This is to educate the general public that MWUN as a responsible Union had gone through and exhausted all the necessary procedures of reaching amicable resolution of this matter including issuing various ultimatums, which have been defiantly ignored by the Ag. Registrar of CRFFN, disregarding all resolutions reached at several mediatory meetings.

“The last was the one held in Abuja on Wednesday, the 18th of September, 2024; and a host of other infractions on the rights of our members ditto the payment of their wages.

“The Union is more dismayed over CRFFN the outright disregard to one of the resolutions reached, stating that going forward, payment of Staffers salaries should be of paramount attention first should funds be made available for the Regulatory body and there should be no diversion of such available fund into any other expenditure. But CRFFN went ahead to organize a “Kangaroo” training for some select staffers, leaving behind a humongous cache of unpaid salaries.

“It’s unfortunate that after the Union had extended a good hand of fellowship to engage and collaborate with the management of CRFFN under the purview of the Ag. Registrar, the CRFFN still went ahead to act contrary to the resolution reached with the Union against the wellbeing of our members, while trampling on the rights of our members to the gainful enjoyment of their earned salaries.

“The Union has resolved not to continue watching with folded arms the impunity of CRFFN being put on public show; hence, the Union has decided to bring this to public knowledge that should CRFFN continue to withhold the nine months salary arrears owed our members who are CRFFN employees, the Union will have no other option than to withdraw the total services of our members in the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dock Labour, Shipping & Freight Forwarding Agencies, Seamen from all ports, jetties, terminals, and Oil & Gas platforms. All authorities should please take note. “