MWUN Shipping Branch President Condemns Casualisation of Maritime Workers by Shipping Firms, Terminal Operators
The President of the Shipping Branch of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Olufemi Abass, has strongly condemned the growing casualisation of workers in the maritime sector, describing the practice as inhumane and a clear violation of labour laws.
Comrade Abass accused captains of industry in the shipping sector and terminal operators of deliberately outsourcing workers to contractors who pay meagre wages, a situation he said amounts to the institutionalisation of casual labour without regard for existing labour regulations.
This was contained in a statement signed by Comrade John Ikemefuna, Head of Media, MWUN on Thursday.
According to Abass, employers in the sector have continued to engage in what he described as “cruel, vicious and callous labour practices,” which negate both local and international labour laws.
He noted that these practices are often justified by the companies under the guise of cost efficiency, while in reality they promote worker exploitation and dehumanisation.
The Shipping Branch President further alleged that terminal operators and shipping companies have deliberately reduced union presence in the sector as part of strategies aimed at entrenching what he termed a “slave drive” ideology.
“These captains of industry have devised several strategies to achieve this agenda, including weakening union activities in the maritime sector. The union must act swiftly to stop this ugly trend, and the time to act is now,” Abass said.
He lamented that the unethical labour practices have led to the steady erosion of permanent employment in the maritime industry, with employers prioritising profit over workers’ welfare while neglecting decent work policies as enshrined in labour laws both locally and globally.
Comrade Abass assured maritime workers that the matter would be escalated to the top leadership of the union, stressing that decisive action would be taken against companies found culpable.
He added that MWUN remains committed to sanitising the maritime industry and ensuring improved working and living conditions for workers across the sector.
