MWUN SUSPENDS 3-DAY STRIKE

Segun Oladipupo

Following the intervention of the Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Transportation, Labour and Employment, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Friday called off the three days service withdrawal it embarked upon since Wednesday in all ports across the nation.

The President General of the union, Comrade Abdulwaheed Adewale Adeyanju told our correspondent on phone that the Permanent Secretary promised to invite the management of International Oil Companies (IOCs), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies to a meeting over failure of the IOCs to pay the monies owed the Labour workers.

Adeyanju added that since the Permanent Secretary had intervened, the union decided to suspend the strike pending the outcome of the called meeting.

According to him, the decision to suspend the strike was taken at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union held on Friday in Lagos.

Recall that the union embarked on service withdrawal in all ports across the nation over alleged failure of the IOCs to pay up the wages owed stevedoring contractors.

The statement in part, thanked all for the solid support and show of solidarity given to the Union in their action against the management of the International Oil Companies (IOCS) who took delight in breaking Nigerian laws with impunity and also denied us (the Dockworkers) payment of Salaries/wages for the past one (1) year.

“We have noted with grave concern that some major stakeholders in the industry who are not in any way involved …are adversely affected in their operations”, it stated.