Proposed strike: MWUN, NPA, IOCs reach truce
President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Prince Adewale Adeyanju, fnli, HFCPSP, has directed all members under the four branches of the Union not to embark on a proposed industrial action meant to begin on 9th of January, 2024.
The Union had on the 4th of January issued a notice to the effect that an industrial action was scheduled to take place today on the grounds of non-compliance by International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Stevedoring Contractors on the extant laws.
The Union, in a statement in Lagos, accused that the IOCs and the Stevedoring companies of continual violation of the extant laws for the past three years after several communiqué had been signed by all the relevant stakeholders in the sector.
According to the statement, the proposed strike was averted as a result of communiques signed on the deadline for full compliance with Stevedoring regulations by operators in the petroleum industry, which addressed the declaration of the strike action – to shut down the seaports, terminals, jetties and oil & gas platforms nationwide.
The resolution agreed on were:
1) That though the IOCs have substantially complied with deployment of Labour, the matter of equipment deployment is to be examined within the next three (3) months.
2) That meetings be facilitated within one (1) week by the relevant regulators and the marginal field operators and all other non-compliant operators to ensure immediate compliance with the Stevedoring Regulations and granting of access to appoint Stevedores.
3) That full resolutions of all issues relating to compliance and grants of access to work locations to Stevedores by location Operators be sorted out between now and end of January, 2024.
4( That while these actions are being taken, the earlier communique reached Friday, the 5th of January, 2024 be immediately implemented as mark of good faith.
5) That based on the above resolutions, the Union has decided to lift the impending shutting down of the nation’s seaports.
The stated added that “the communiqués of Friday the 5th and Monday 8th of January, 2024, respectively, were jointly signed by Engr. Ibrahim Abba Umar – ED, E&TS, for Managing Director (NPA), Prince Adewale Adeyanju, fnli, HFCPSP, PG, MWUN and Comrade Bolaji Sunmola, President, NASO, also as contained on 8/1/2024, Mohammed Bello Koko – MD, NPA.”
“The Nigerian Ports Authority as the Master Stevedore and the Industry Regulator, this last time of the supposed crisis has laid to rest the protracted issues of the IOCs and the Union for now.”
Prince Adeyanju used the opportunity to thank the Managing Director of the NPA, for brokering peace, just as he appreciated him and his team for their commitment in handling the issues amicably before the Monday meeting, where the MD presided for the final communiqué.
