Maritime Workers Threaten Strike Over Unpaid Salaries at Ports and Jetties
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a stern warning of impending industrial action, threatening to withdraw services from ports, jetties, and terminals nationwide if its members continue to be denied nine months’ worth of unpaid wages. The dispute centres on salary arrears owed by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), with the union accusing the council of neglecting its obligations to staff.
In a statement released on Thursday, Deputy Secretary-General of MWUN, Oniha Erazua, expressed frustration at the CRFFN’s management, led by Acting Registrar Cicilia Uromta, for repeatedly ignoring attempts to resolve the issue through peaceful dialogue. Erazua highlighted that the union had made multiple efforts, including ultimatums and mediation meetings, the latest of which took place in Abuja in September. Yet, despite these efforts, he said, the council has failed to prioritisestaff welfare, flouting agreements that stipulate salary payments should be made before other expenditures.
“It is disheartening that the CRFFN management is conducting selective training programmes while refusing to address the backlog of unpaid salaries,” Erazua said, accusing the council of showing a “nonchalant attitude” towards the plight of its workers.
The union made clear that if immediate action is not taken to settle the arrears, it will initiate a strike that would severely disrupt maritime operations across Nigeria, impacting the Nigerian Ports Authority, dock labour, shipping and freight forwarding agencies, as well as seamen at all ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms.
Sources close to the situation corroborated the union’s claims, revealing that CRFFN had been excluded from the government budget earlier this year, leaving the council struggling to meet its financial obligations. “Imagine working since January without pay,” one insider said. “They managed to pay January’s salary in May, but even then, not everyone was paid, and no salaries have been issued since.”
Efforts to reach CRFFN’s acting Registrar, Mrs. Uromta, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered at the time of reporting.
With tensions escalating, MWUN is urging relevant authorities to intervene before the situation spirals into a full-blown crisis, warning that the union will no longer tolerate what it perceives as impunity on the part of the CRFFN. The maritime sector, crucial to Nigeria’s economy, could soon face significant disruption unless the wage dispute is resolved.
