MWUN threatens to declare state of emergency on shipping companies

Segun Oladipupo

Barring any last minute change of mind, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is set to declare state of emergency on shipping companies in Nigeria for poor working conditions and lack of respect for Nigerian workers.

The President General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju stated this in a chat with journalists in his office on Thursday prior to the Annual General Meeting with members of the dock workers branch of the union.

He said that there are lots of crises bedevilling the shipping branch ranging from recalcitrant attitude of the shipping agencies and outsourcing of jobs that Nigerians can do to foreigners.

As a result, Adeyanju said he had sent letters to the shipping companies through the President of the branch saying the union is set to declare a state of emergency in the agencies.

Describing the operators of the shipping lines as wicked, he wondered why a worker would be stagnated at a particular grade for over ten years without promotion.

His words, “The purpose of calling this meeting is to review our last year’s activities so that we can start a better one this year.

“There are lots in the shipping branch of MWUN. There are lots of crises underground from their employers; how can somebody be in the same grade for couple of years without review.

“Yesterday, I spoke with their leader that we need to declare state of emergency in shipping because the NJIC they have does not tally with the present situation of the economy.

“Somebody will be in one position for good ten years without promotion.

“And this issue of outsourcing, you just bring somebody from nowhere to do the job that I can do. That is what is going on in shipping.

“This year, we are going to face their employers, some of them are wicked, some of them don’t have respect for Nigerian workers