Union takes on shipping companies over welfare

Tayo Oladipupo

The Shipping, Clearing and Forwarding branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has raised alarm over how shipping lines agencies and other employers engage in ploy of outsourcing jobs in order to cut cost of doing business.

But the union said it was up to the task by ensuring that the employees the jobs are outsourced to become members of the union.

Speaking on the development, President of the branch, Ekpeyong Ekpeyong told our correspondent in Lagos that the union had resolved to rise to the occasion by making sure that the union deducts dues from salaries of the technical employees.

According to him, the employers hide under the guise of economic downturn to make negotiations on behalf of workers difficult adding that where negotiations sail through, employers were not willing to offer something substantial.

Ekpeyong stated that subject formed the crux of the Branch Working Committee (BWC) convention held in Port Harcourt, recently.

He however stressed the need for members of the union to be resilient at work and cope with the rapid changes in the industry thus, increasing pressure to achieve higher level of performance.

Ekpeyong lamented that the economic downturn has impacted negatively on the sector, reaffirming that “It’s making it a herculean task getting some employers on the table to negotiate increase in salaries.

He added that some of the shipping companies that agreed to increase workers’ salaries were not willing to offer appreciable amount to cushion the adverse effects of the prevailing economic condition on the employees.

“Arising from the above condition and the high cost of doing business, employers in the industry are adopting outsourcing as a means to reduce labour cost viz-a-viz accrued terminal benefit liabilities.

“It’s a known fact that employers will always hide under the pretext of inadequate expertise and inefficiency in such line of business as reason for outsourcing.

“But the union is resolute in its stance and policy, that those jobs outsourced are readily available, as such workers engaged to perform them technically remain bonafide members of the union and deduction of union due must be made at source and remitted to the union, while company must comply with payment of the minimum standard wage in the industry to the workers.

The branch President reiterated that the union at all times demand an equitable and fair treatment for those category of Nigerian workers choose to label “Contract Staff” in their employment adding that no matter the various tactics employed to devalue their services.

According to him, request from employers for redundancy discussions is alarming, but stressed union will constantly ensure that severance packages for the affected members are properly negotiated in line with the current economic realities in the country in addition to their respective terminal benefits.

Speaking on the new gratuity scheme for workers under the shipping branch, Ekpeyong maintained that payment of such became a worrisome issue when some companies were not able to settle workers terminal benefits at worn-off.

“In reference to the fact that employers collectively proposed to the union the need to discontinue with the current retrospective mode of calculating gratuity and the burden of the huge accrued gratuity liability in their books which funds may not have been provided for in most cases

He also added that the union was committed to the successful review and implementation of the scheme when finalised and will further intensify pressure on the employers to resume talks and deliberations on the matter. On the unionisation of workers, the President explained that the branch had not relented on its membership drive despite unpleasant circumstances experienced in the sector, assuring efforts to ensure workers in the sub sector are organised under the union’s membership.

He pointed out that all elected officers as workers’ representatives are allowed to function without intimidation and manipulation by management.