Maritime workers to cripple port operations on Monday over minimum wage

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) said it will on Monday June 3rd, join the indefinite strike action declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.

The above action will result to shutting down the nation’s seaports as workers closed shop.

Kennedy Ikemefuna, spokesman of MWUN, said in a statement on Saturday that the indefinite nationwide strike exercise will affect port operations.

Read also: Organised private sector backs N60,000 minimum wage proposal

“… the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has directed its members in all ports nationwide, jetties, terminals, oil and gas platforms to ensure total compliance to the strike exercise as directed by the NLC and TUC,” Ikemefuna said.

Joe Ajaero, president of the NLC, had earlier said that the indefinite strike would begin by midnight on Monday.

Ajaero alongside his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, expressed what he described as “grave concern and disappointment” over the Federal Government’s failure to conclude and pass into law a new National Minimum Wage Act, and reverse the hike in electricity tariff to N65/kWh.

Ajaero said that the Friday meeting between the government and Labour further demonstrated the lack of seriousness and apparent contempt with which the Nigerian state held the demands of Nigerian workers and people.

“No Governor was present and Ministers were absent, except the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, who doubles as a conciliator. There was none present on the side of the government with appropriate authority to commit them to any outcome. In essence, the government abandoned the meeting.

“We consider this disdainful and it shows a lack of commitment to a successful National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise,” he said.

Ajaero further said that during the last May Day celebration, the unions issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of the minimum wage negotiation exercise by the end of the month.

“However, there has been no significant progress or commitment from the government towards meeting this demand.

“We also demanded a reversal of the last hike in electricity tariff from N225/kWh back to N65/kWh, and stoppage of the apartheid categorisation of consumers into bands.

“We carried out a nationwide one-day protest on May 13, 2024, giving the government until the last day of this month to take action; but the government has not entirely shown any positive response, despite the national outrage at the insensitive hike.

Read also: Labour declares indefinite strike from June 3 over minimum wage talks

“Nigerian workers, who are the backbone of our nation’s economy, deserve fair and decent wages that reflect the current economic realities,” Ajaero said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has pleaded with the labour unions to reconsider its decision to embark on the indefinite strike.

Idris Mohammed, minister of Information and National Orientation, said while describing the NLC and TUC as partners in Project Nigeria, that industrial action was not the solution to the ongoing negotiation for a new minimum wage for workers.