MWUN, govt, employers, sign new labour welfare package agreement

Tayo Oladipupo

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Monday stated that with the newly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the union would henceforth deal with the terminal operators directly.

According to the union, the welfare, salaries and benefits of workers were determined by stevedoring companies who the union claimed not to know.

Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is an arrangement in writing between an employer and a trade union setting forth the terms and conditions of employment or containing provisions in regard to rates of pay, hours of work or other working conditions of employees.

The apex maritime union for junior workers said stevedoring contractors were based on third party engagement which the CBA did not recognise.

President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju disclosed this while briefing dockworkers on the contents of the recently signed CBA, with the concessionaires and federal government under the tripartite arrangement.

Adeyanju noted that “Our employers are the terminal operators and not the stevedoring companies. We don’t know them because they are not our employers.

“This time around we will make sure that all the responsibilities must be that of the terminal operators and not the stevedoring contractors.

“We are all working with the terminal operators and all entitlements and terminal benefits will now come from the concessionaires and not the stevedoring companies as it were in the past.”

He noted that “Accident of workers aboard vessels which used to be handled by stevedoring companies is no longer there as the terminal operators are now responsible to tackle such issues.

“It is the responsibility of the terminal operators with the union and the P&I club because what the stevedores are paying dock workers that have accidents are nothing to write home about.

The union boss told members of the dockworkers branches, that the recently signed CBA can be described as the best agreement for workers as it entails some bumper benefits for workers.

He said with the CBA, workers in specialised, containerised or RORO terminals attracts mouth-watering increase rates, adding that the union will not allow any third party to scuttle the new agreement.

On Time Related Wages on customs examination at containerised terminals the President General said the rate has increased to 19.2% while workers at ABTL and Green view (Specialised terminals) with bulk cargo operation attracts 6% increase.

He added that both 20 and 40 foot containers attract 10% each while RORO operations will attract N1, 000.

Adeyanju also warned districts and units heads to comply with the CBA terms and conditions adding that the union will not condone any form of absenteeism from work.

“With this agreement, I want to sound a note of warning to the district chairmen to utilise the agreement to the last letter and all the good things must be followed

Comrade Adeyanju however commended the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Peterside Dakuku and the Chairperson, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) for midwifing the process.