500 workers sack: Maritime workers embark on indefinite strike Monday

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The umbrella body of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has directed its members at the eastern ports to resume an indefinite strike from Monday, December 14, 2020.

The directive is sequel to the sack of over 500 workers who are members of their union by the management of Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS) Nigeria Limited and Associated Maritime Services (AMS) last week

MWUN said it would hold on to the industrial action untill the redundancy letters given to the affected staff are withdrawn and thier resumption assured.

In a statement made available to nation update on Sunday, signed by the Secretary General of MWUN, Comrade Felix Akingboye, it condemned in strong terms the alleged attack and infliction of various degrees of injury on the workers by military personnel.

President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju(centre) and Secretary General, Felix Akingboye,

He stated that as a law-abiding union, it cannot accept the illegal use of security operatives to deal with industrial action related issues where unarmed workers will be brutalised, intimidated and harassed even as some of the members are  presently in hospitals receiving treatment.

Akingboye therefore called on the Federal Government to investigate the presence of armed security operatives  at a peaceful gathering of workers, called for the sanction of masterminds of the act.

It further called for a guarantee from the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) assuring that security operatives will no longer be involved in settling industrial matters.

He said, “the Federal Government should investigate the presence of armed security operatives  at a peaceful gathering of workers, sanction those who brought the security operatives that brutalised, intimidated and harassed our members and a guarantee from the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that security operatives will no longer be used to  deal with or settle industrial relations issues in the sector.”

The MWUN scribe therefore stated, “We wish to bring to public notice the increasing unfair labour practice and assault on our members in Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS) Nigeria Limited and Associated Maritime Services (AMS) Limited.

“The height of the anti-labour practices by these two companies were the sack of over 500 of our members on December 4, 2020 in the midst of the Union’s negotiations with the companies over improved welfare and the conditions of service for workers – our members.

“The height of the anti-labour practices by these two companies were the sack of over 500 of our members on December 4, 2020 in the midst of the Union’s negotiations with the companies over improved welfare and the conditions of service for workers – our members.

“In the course of the negotiations that started about a week earlier, the Union requested for a break to enable the Union hold its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Friday, 4 December 2020. To our greatest shock, while the Union was holding its NEC, the two companies issued redundancy letters to over 500 of our members.

“We wrote to the two management to withdraw the redundancy letters for us to resume negotiations in a peaceful and harmonious environment.  They did not only refuse, but follow up the redundancy letters by locking out our members on Monday December 7, 2020.

“To further worsen the situation, they unleashed armed security operatives including Soldiers and Policemen on the Union members and inflicted various degrees of injuries on our members. Some of them are at present in hospitals receiving treatment.

“As a law-abiding Union, we cannot accept the illegal use of security operatives to deal with Industrial Relations issue where unarmed workers are brutalised, intimidated and harassed.

“Consequently, the Union has directed its members in the Eastern Ports to down tools from Monday, December 14, 2020, and begin an indefinite industrial action pending when; The management of INTELS and AMS withdraw the redundancy letters to our members and guarantee resumption of negotiations,” the release stated.