MWUN flays casualization of workers in maritime industry, vows decisive action

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Shipping Branch has frowned at the continuous casualization of workers by employers of labour within the maritime sector.

In a statement released through the union’s Head of Media, Comrade John Ikemefuna, the Shipping Branch President, Comrade Olufemi Abass described the current labor practices in the shipping sector as a “slave drive” ideology that prioritizes corporate profit over human dignity.

Abass asserted that many employers are now bypassing labor regulations by outsourcing core duties to third-party contractors. These contractors, he noted, offer peanuts to workers, effectively institutionalizing casual labor under a different name.

“What these categories of employers in the industry are doing is outsourcing of workers to contractors who offers peanuts. This is a deliberate extension of casual labour practices carried out in the industry without consent to labour regulations.

“While the shipping sector and the terminal operators have consistently engaged in this cruel, viscous and carlous labour practices, which of course negates labour laws and regulations, these captains of industries have continued to justify their wicked acts by increasingly embracing dehumanization and deliberately reducing the presence of Union in the maritme industry, ” Abass said.

He warned that the maritime industry is currently witnessing a dangerous level of industrial manipulation, noting that the Union would no longer tolerate these unethical strategies designed to exploit the workforce.

“This unethical labour practices have led to the steady erosion of permanent employment as it were in the sector; as the perpetrators believe the ideology is economical and cost effective for them to make so much profit to the detriment of the peasant workers; while also neglecting the decent work policies as enshrined in labour laws locally and globally.

“The Union must act fast to stop this ugly trend and the time to act against this industrial manipulation of workers in the sector is now, ” he said.

He said the matter would be escalated to top leadership of the Union where a strict action will be taken against these perpetrators to sanitize the maritme industry for better living and working conditions for all members.