The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a stern warning to HullBlyth Shipping Company, threatening to shut down all ports, terminals, and jetties nationwide due to the company’s refusal to implement the agreed-upon N200,000 minimum wage for workers in the shipping industry.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was signed last month in Lagos by the Union and the Shipping, Shipping Agencies, Clearing and Forwarding Association (SSACFA), following interventions by the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, and other stakeholders.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporation and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), in Lagos on Thursday, MWUN President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, expressed disappointment at HullBlyth’s refusal to abide by the agreement.
He also decried HullBlyth’s entrenched casualization and outsourcing, noting that the company has less than 20% of its workforce as direct employees.
He said, “This land mark event was made possible by the interventions of well-meaning Nigerians notably. the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Muazu Sambo, the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, as well as past and present Executive Secretary/Chief Executives Officers of the Nigeria Shippers Council-Hon. Emmanuel jime and Barrister Pius Ukeyima Akutah, MON
“Worthy of mention is the role of members of Shipping, Shipping Agencies, Clearing and Forwarding Association and other well-meaning stakeholders who united to put an end to this injustice which had plagued the shipping sector for more than a decade.
“However, “It is with a sense of disappointment that we bring to the attention of the general public, the unfortunate denouncement of this landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by Hull Blyth Shipping Company’s and its blatant refusal to abide by its provisions.
“We must state here, that Hull Blyth is known for its 100% entrenched casualization of its workforce.
“This company solely depends on outsourcing of all its operational process. It is also known for repatriation of the company’s huge profits back to their home country.
“We therefore wish to use this medium to sound a note of warning to Hull Blyth management that the union will resist this action, with all it would take, including closing down all ports, terminals, jetties and oil and gas platforms nationwide should this blatant disregard for the CBA agreement persist.”
Meanwhile, the two-house unions have urged the federal government to expedite action on the renewal of licenses for terminal operators.
The MWUN PG noted that the terminal operators provide employment for majority of its members cutting across the dock, shipping and seafarers sectors and whatever affects them will have direct effect on the welfare of its members and ultimately to their unemployment.
“As it currently stands, the job security of our members which we consider sacrosanct is unsure as government continue to hold on to renewing the terminal operators’ licenses. We therefore aver that the necessary renewal of these licenses will provide stability within the workforce and stem rising tension amongst our members,”he said.
Speaking on the delay in finalizing the pensions of aged seafarers from the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), Adeyanju urged the committee tasked with pension verification to submit its report promptly to allow for the timely disbursement of the long-overdue pensions noting that many of the retired workers are in dire need.
On his part, the President of SSASCGOC Maritime, Comrade Bodunde Akinola expressed concern over unmanned jetties across the country, and the attendant revenue losses.
According to him, there are over 150 uumamned jetties with no visible presence of NPA and NIMASA personnel in these places.
He said, “The absence of these categories of personnel has made the jetties to become a veritable ground for the perpetration of criminal activities and a haven for economic sabotage.
“This has also led to unchecked influx of banned commodities into the country and a means of loss of huge revenue to the nation.
“Consequently, we advocate for the urgent employment of workers across all maritime agencies such as: NPA, NIWA, NIMASA, and the Nigeria Shippers’ Council to man these areas for efficiency, improved security and resource accumulation. Again, these employments will serve to enhance safety, oversight, and provide more job opportunities for Nigerian youths within the sector. ”
Akinola also expressed the unions’ disappointment that the recent minimum wage that was approved by the Federal Government and the consequential adjustments have not yet been implemented by some government agencies and parastatals.
“Our members, like all Nigerian workers,
deserve timely adjustments to their wages that reflect current economic realities.
“We call for immediate compliance by all relevant bodies in the maritime sector, ” he said.
