NLC Vice President Faults Casualisation Of Dockworkers In Maritime Industry

NLC Vice President Faults Casualisation Of Dockworkers In the Maritime Industry

• Says Virus, Evil Is Over, But More Still Needs To Be Done

National Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Prince Adewale Adeyanju, stated that the union has ensured that the casualisation of dockworkers in the Nigerian Maritime industry is over.

Adeyanju, who noted that there was still much to be done regarding the casualisation of workers in the sector, described the practice as a virus and evil.
Speaking at a roundtable organised by the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN) recently, in Lagos, he noted that before now, dockworkers were treated like slaves and without any hope.

 “But today the Maritime Workers Union, under my leadership, has completely changed that issue and as such, dockworkers are not only respected and recognised as valuable contributors to the growth of the Maritime industry but are now pensionable. Although initially, they didn’t want it, casualisation of dockworkers or any name it is given is a virus and evil,” he said.
He stated that there was no place in the world where casual workers have a name or place, adding that this was the case the union had been fighting over the years.

 “Before now there was nothing like pension or gratuity, but with new the trend in the ports, which is favourable to the dockworkers, we can see peace in the ports. Because we have a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with their employer’s midwife by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), who are the regulating agencies monitoring the dockworker’s activities in the ports.

 “On the issue of casuals, the union reached an agreement with relevant operators and agreed on three modes of operations that take care of all categories of dockworkers.
“So we have three modes of operations that have taken care of this virus called casuals. We have permanent employment within the rank and file of the Dockworkers. There is what we call, payment by tonnage.

 “This means that the tonnage the vessel brought would be shared among all the people that worked on board that vessel. And that depends on the volume. The union equally fights for their terminal benefits and their pensions. So, all the dockworkers in the ports today are pensionable and they are entitled to their terminal benefits including pension and gratuity,” he stated.
Adeyanju further pointed out that despite the achievements recorded by the union, a lot more still needed to be done, as the issue of casuals is not completely settled, adding: “I have not completed my assignment. We are still going to do more for the average dockworker in the shipping industry because dockworkers are the engine room of operations in the industry and should be accorded the respect they deserve.
“Over the years, the dockworkers were looked down upon as common slaves in their fatherland, who have no father or mother. But today, they have a father and a mother. And that father and mother is the union umbrella, which covers all the dockworkers in the sector.”
On the issue of the International Oil Companies (IOCs), the MWUN President noted that there has been a remarkable improvement in their compliance level, stressing that the IOCs have a penchant for disregarding and undermining government directives, but he vowed that the union will longer condole the recalcitrant attitude of the IOCs.
“It is unfortunate that the IOCs, which came from abroad to invest in our resources, are not obeying laws and directives given by the government. Otherwise, how can a seven-day directive by the government to the IOCs for compliance take many years to be effected? We are not going to take that anymore. That flagrant disregard for government directives must stop,” he said.
Adeyanju, who also informed that NPA has reviewed upwards the salaries of dockworkers, commended the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, for his performance since taking over the agency, saying: “Dr Jamoh has performed very well. He has brought so many changes and innovations that have greatly improved the maritime industry.
He suggested that appointments to government agencies like NPA and NIMASA and others should be based on deep knowledge of the industry, as this will bring about great value and improvement in the maritime industry.
On the establishment of a Maritime Ministry, Adeyanju noted that it is not the creation of the Maritime Ministry that is important, but efficient management, insisting: “What is important is efficiency. If there is no efficiency among the management team, it will still go down the same way.
While defending the NLC’s approach to labour activities in the country in the past as being a toothless bulldog, he said the present NLC under the leadership of Comrade Joe Ajaero and his Exco members will rekindle the labour spirit of his predecessors like Pa Imoudu, Hassan Sumonu and Adams Oshomhole if the incoming administration fails to change the bad policies that have been detrimental to Nigerians.

 “The NLC will go back to the old ways of being confrontational to checkmate the government because Nigerians have suffered enough and so Congress will come back to its original name as the last hope of the common man in Nigeria,” Adeyanju assured.