Maritime workers continue strike as meeting with NSC, APMT ends in deadlock

The meeting between the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to suspend the ongoing strike by dockworkers at APM terminals Apapa ended in deadlock on Thursday as the union vowed to continue with the strike action until their demands are met.

The aggrieved dockworkers had on Wednesday embarked on strike, crippling business at the Lagos port in protest against poor salaries and retirement benefit as well as unfair treatment by the management of APM terminals.

Speaking with Maritime Today Online, the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju said the management of APM terminals also met with the union on Thursday evening but the meeting was deadlocked as both parties could not reach an agreement.

He said the union would continue with the strike action until the outcome of another meeting with the terminal operator scheduled for Friday.

Earlier at the meeting with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, which held at the union secretariat in Lagos, Adeyanju, bemoaned the poor retirement benefit of workers by APM terminals management and its penchant to hire foreigners in place of Nigerians who are qualified to man the same responsibilities.

According to him, “Retirement benefit in APMT is like a death sentence. Somebody puts in 35 years in service and when he retires back home, his retirement benefit is N500, 000. We have sat with them (APMT) for almost seven times talking about welfare of the workers and their take home but they refuse to act.

“We started from 100 down to 40 per cent, but they refused, because they claimed they have a global way of negotiating, a global standard. We then said, fine, since you have a global standard and are trying to globalize the local worker in APMT, then you should equally pay us equivalent in Dollars or in Pounds, whatever you believe would be equivalent to what you are telling us.

“This is the same management, which I believe that continuity in government is for stability, is for peace to reign, for more productivity of the company, but they believe in hire and fire. They believe in doing whatever they feel; that they can bring their own law to supersede the law of the country that gave them the business they are doing.

“We are not saying they should not do their business or invest in the country but they should respect the law of the land.”

Responding, the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Emmanuel Jime lamented the effect of the strike on the nation’s economy just as he promised to engage the management of APMT with a view to resolving the issue.

“The fact of the matter is that this strike is creating an economic impact that is causing loss on both sides of the table. So, you know terminal operators are losing almost on the brink of about $20,000 dollars daily for as long as this strike continues.

“That is actually sometimes again the irony; what are the workers asking for? The loss that is being incurred compared to what is being asked for. Now, there is room for a conversation around the issue. A strike action should actually be the last resort, when it becomes clear that all options have been explored and there isn’t a resolution. But, unfortunately sometimes we are confronted with this.

“It is our desire to do everything that would not cripple the nation’s economy. I would like you to give me more time to have discussions with APMT over this issue, I know you have had discussions with them, I know they have not agreed, but please give me one more benefit of doubt.

Reacting to the engagement of foreigners by APMT in place of qualified Nigerians to carry out jobs at the terminals, Jime said, “I am particularly sad when I heard the information today that foreigners are being brought to do jobs that Nigerians can do, there is really no excuse for that, we are going to step in, and it falls under our purview to make this enquiry and insist. If you sign a concession agreement and there are laws, the job of the Shippers’ Council is to make sure that everybody keeps to the wording of that concession agreement.

“So, if you are in breach, then there is a sanction mechanism that can be used, and I want to assure you that once we get to that point where it is clear to us that somebody is willfully breaching the rules of this country, then sanctions must apply.

“I want to assure you that we would let everybody know that what is happening to our workers at APMT cannot be tolerated, I have that special platform to make the advocacy on your behalf. I want to walk out of here with a commitment that at least, we can suspend the downing of tools in the honor of my coming to visit you.”

Adeyanju, who expressed appreciation to the Shippers’ Council boss for the visit, however, insisted that the strike still continue, saying they would have to meet with their members before any decision can be arrived at.

Photo caption:

President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade Adewale Adeyanju (left) and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Emmanuel Jime, at a meeting to resolve the strike embarked upon by dockworkers held at the union’s secretariat in Apapa, Lagos on Thursday.