Maritime Workers Union Of Nigeria Joins NLC Strike
… Frieght Forwarders, Shippers to know fate today
By Joy Enamuna
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has on Tuesday, embarked on a nation wide warning strike in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), a decision which was taken shortly after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
The strike is coming on the instructions of the NLC leadership directing all affiliate bodies of the Congress to strictly comply.
The NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) took this decision after their joint meeting in Abuja which was prompted by a series of infractions and encroachments on the rights of workers, and the disturbing incidents involving the abduction and assault on the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and other Labour officials as well as the blatant refusal of Federal Government to implement agreements, non-payment of backlog of salaries and pensions, descriminatory payment of salaries, as well as non-compliance to the payment of national minimum wage.
The reasons stated above were contained in a press release signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media, MWUN, and sent to our correspondence.
Meanwhile, port industry stakeholders are worried by the situation because of the financial burden that will be on the shoulders of importers as demurrage as a result of the industrial action. The question whether Shipping companies and Terminal operators would wave storage charges during the strike period has remained unanswered.
However, relevant government agencies are yet to make any official statements.
