Labour declares strike, moves to shut down seaports, Monday
Labour group, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has declared an industrial action following a protracted dispute with shipping firms over what it described as ‘modern-day slavery’ of workers in the sector.
To this end, the union has now directed all it members to shut down operations of shipping firms at the ports nationwide as part of an indefinite nationwide strike action, which they say will commence from Monday, June 5.
According to MWUN, members are to shut down operations of all shipping firms at the seaports across the country over issues bordering on welfare of workers.
At a briefing, Thursday, President-General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, lamented that since 2018, Organised Labour has been battling with shipping companies operating in the country over the minimum standard on welfare of workers, ‘but to no avail.’
According to Adeyanju, despite several ultimatums and interventions by the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, shipping companies, mostly multinationals, have refused to yield, adding, ‘the working conditions of the workers in the nation’s shipping industry were nothing short of modern-day slavery.’
