By Uzor Odigbo
The President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju has threatened to sack erring districts and units chairmen over Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with terminal operators.
Adeyanju who disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting with members, dockworkers branch of the union,warned leaders at ports level not to connive or compromise with management of the concessionaires against the CBA otherwise their job will be at stakes.
While reacting on Monday’s actions of some workers who picketed the corporate office of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Marina Lagos , over delay in payment of onboard security and tally clerks, the union’s boss called on members to exercise patience, even as he assured that the agency would fulfill their promises in no distance time.
He attributed the delay of payment by management of NPA to the general elections adding that the conclusion of the verification exercise would lead to a meeting between the agency and the union.
He noted the CBA is solely the responsibility of the terminal operators and union executive adding that there will no delay this time around when the elections are concluded.
He maintained that the stevedoring companies have no role in the new CBA reached with the terminal operators and federal government.
The union President maintained that the union is engaging with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) despite completion of the verification exercise held last December.
“We have reached out with all the terminal operators in Nigeria on the CBA and the agreement is quite clear of the members who work in the ports.
“I also warn the districts and units heads to enforce the CBA agreement from page one to the end because there is what we call in house agreement , branch and national.
“And that is why I am giving that order to sanction any of them found wanting.
Some of them would hold the agreement letter in their hand but will choose not to implement it and that is why we said any district or unit chairman who connive or choose not to enforce that agreement for the interest of the workers and the union ,then that person will be sanctioned.