The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to Temile Development Company Nigeria Limited, warning of an impending industrial showdown over the firm’s alleged refusal to allow its workers to unionise.
MWUN, under its President-General, Francis Bunu, in collaboration with the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNO-WTSSA), said it is determined to organise workers employed by the Port Harcourt-based company.
The MWUN disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that the company has reportedly ignored several formal requests from the unions seeking recognition and unionisation of its workforce.
According to the union, letters dated May 26, 2025; September 16, 2025; October 2025; and April 1, 2026, all titled “Request for the Unionisation of Our Members in Your Company”, were sent to Temile Development Company but received no response.
MWUN described the company’s silence as a deliberate affront to established labour laws and union rights in Nigeria.
Bunu warned that no organisation is above labour regulations, stressing that the era of exploitative labour practices is over.
“Casualisation of workers has become a thing of the past and it is no longer in vogue. Any employer still indulging in such archaic practices will be thoroughly dealt with,” he said.
He further insisted that attempts to undermine workers’ rights under the guise of employment would not be tolerated.
“No company in Nigeria or anywhere in the world is bigger than the labour unions and the laws guiding them, especially when it concerns the enslavement of workers,” he added.
The MWUN leader cautioned the management of Temile Development Company to respond to the unions’ correspondence and agree to a joint meeting within the stipulated 21 days or risk industrial action.
The unions reiterated their resolve to ensure that all eligible maritime workers in the company are duly unionised in line with global best practices and Nigerian labour laws.
