The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has disclosed that some International Oil Companies (IOCs) have started complying with Marine Notice 106, thus allowing Nigerian Stevedoring Companies access to their platforms for them to engage dockworkers as required by the law.
The Government Marine Notice 106 mandated all companies and persons engaged in stevedoring work including Dock Labour Employer and Private Operators of any work location including Ports, Jetties, Onshore or Offshore Oil and Gas or Bonded Terminals, Inland Container Depots (lCDs), off Dock Terminal, Dry Ports and Platforms to engage stevedoring workers and companies to carry out the operations on their platforms and premises.
The Union, however, warned those yet to comply or begin the process of compliance to immediately comply to avoid the wrath of the Organized Labour.
MWUN has been having a running battle with the IOCs for years over the IOC refusal to comply with Marine Notice 106, mandating the IOCs and others to allow the Stevedoring Companies and registered dockworkers access to their platforms to commence operations as required by law.
Recall that the Union had threatened total shutdown ports operations across the country at the expiration of two weeks strike notice ultimatum issued on February 14, 2022.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, had on March 3, written to the Minister of Transportation intimating him among others that NLC would bring its full weight to support MWUN should it go on strike over the IOCs refusal to comply with the Marine Notice 106.
Recall that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had summoned the IOCs to an urgent meeting over non-implementation of the agreement reached at a stakeholders’ two weeks ago directing the IOCs to implement the “Marine Notice 106” and allow the Stevedoring Companies access to their platforms to commence operations as required by law.
But, before the expiration of the ultimatum, the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ports Authority, wadded in a summoned a stakeholders’ meeting involving representatives of the IOCs Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, National Petroleum Investment Services, NAPIMS, National Association of Stevedoring Operators, NASO, and leaders of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN to find solution to the looming industrial unrest in the sector.
Speaking yesterday, President General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, “We have signed a communiqué with the IOC and OPTS. We gave them two weeks for implementation and the implementation has commenced by the IOCs because the two weeks expired Tuesday, March 15, 2022, but we backdated it for implementation. We are still going to reconvene another meeting. We have to know those companies that have complied and the ones that are still playing pranks. We are now signing agreements here and there.”
On what would happen if IOCs failed to sustain the agreement in the long term, Prince Adeyanju said “We only suspended the strike, we can review it anytime. Some of the companies are very funny and stubborn.”
Vanguard.
