The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has tasked the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), to review the conditions of service of members.
MWUN President General, Adewale Adeyanju, made the call at the inaugural Branch Working Committee meeting of the Shipping, Clearing and Forwarding Agencies in Port Harcourt.
He said, “Without doubt, there are some very important issues to be addressed in the branch.
“Such issues include but are not limited to the meagre take home of our members, paltry pension and so on.
“We shall definitely take on the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) very soon with a view to having an upward review of our members’ conditions of service to be compatible with the best global standard.”
The Branch Chairman, Ekpenyong O Ekpenyong, noted that the economic downturn had impacted negatively on the sector.
“It is making it a herculean task getting some employers to the table, to negotiate increase in salaries,” he said.
Ekpenyong added that some of the shipping companies that agreed to increase workers’ salaries were not willing to offer appreciable amount to cushion the adverse effects of the prevailing economic condition of the employees.