MWUN, SSASCGOC Sign Collective Bargaining Agreement With Lekki Free Port
MWUN, SSASCGOC Sign Collective Bargaining Agreement With Lekki Free Port
By Jerry Aguigbo
The Maritime Workers’ Union Of Nigeria,( MWUN) and Senior Staff Association Of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies,(SSASCGOC) have yesterday at Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos signed the much awaited Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Management of the Lekki Free Terminal.(LFT)
The CBA negotiation which lingered for Nine months reels out the rules of engagement between workers of LFT and Management, the CBA will also ensure the workers get up to 30% increment in their emoluments if both parties abide by the negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The President – General MWUN, Comrade (Prince) Adewale Adeyanju who spoke during the CBA signing advised the workers to understand and know where they are coming from, according to him, a person without a job can be likened to a Slave, he therefore advised workers to protect their integrity and name which they had before coming to LFT . He disclosed that most of the workers have worked with other Terminals like APMT, TICT, Port and Cargo and others, as Crane Operators etc, before coming to LFT. As such, they should understand that a good name with integrity is better than Gold and Silver.
Continuing, the PG said the story of Lekki DeepSea Port Free Terminal is not new, he however called for discipline and warned that the Union will not tolerate indiscipline but appealed to the LFT Management led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Christophe Cassang to reconsider their stand on two of their workers who where sacked for disciplinary issues, asking that they be called back and their punishment reversed to suspension, while they sign an undertaking to be of good behavior. In the same vein, Adeyanju also made case for others who have served their suspension but are still facing deductions from their salary for some work place incidents.He requested that the LFT Management and workers start on a clean slate with the CBA now taking effect. Adeyanju appealed to the LFT Management to respect their workers by treating them properly, following the dictates of the Nigerian Constitution.
His words: “Discipline must be the watch word, CBA cannot be perfect because it’s reviewed every 2 years. It is when you have employment that you are a Union officer, you must be disciplined to actually work with the Management,” he advised.
Speaking earlier, the Deputy President General, Maritime Workers’ Union Of Nigeria (MWUN), Comr. Tonye Harry while thanking the LFT Management, said that the signing of the CBA was very significant as the journey which started last year towards its crystalization wasn’t totally smooth as it were, but he was also quick to point out that it was not turbulent because of the way Mr Cassang handled it.
According to Harry, ” the CBA is a very friendly one, it is fair and can be described as the people’s CBA but it is also firm.”
Harry thanked the entire MWUN Branch officials for standing firm. He however advised both workers and management to abide by the CBA which will impact about 500 workers. He equally appealed to LFT to rescind their decisions on the hitherto sacked workers.
On his own part, the President Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies, (SSASCGOC) Comr. Akin Bodunde appreciated the LFT Management for the crystalization of the CBA which he said started 9 months ago. He thanked the President General Maritime Workers’ Union Of Nigeria, (MWUN) Dr (Prince) Adeyanju for his timely and fatherly interventions and advice. Bodunde said the workers at Lekki have a very important role to playing the development of the port, “the CBA he stated is not a winner take all stuff, it is a win – win situation, it’s a foundation and it gives room for moderation and improvements.”
He advised the workers to always give their best in supporting the development of the Port and always channel their grievances through the Unions and not take laws into hands. He equally appealed to the Management to also talk first to the Branch Unions before coming to their Parent Unions. He appreciated the workers for their patience and perseverance throughout this period.
The President MWUN, Dock Workers’ Branch, Comr Ibrahim Ohize on whose purview the workforce at LFT directly falls under said,” it is a day of reckoning, it has been a long journey, and I appreciate all the leaders who made this possible, the workers at LFT are now ‘born again ‘ because they now have laws guiding them”.
Ohize called on the LFT Management to abide by the CBA and be flexible when taking decisions concerning it’s workers.
Responding, the CEO LFT, Mr Christophe Cassang accepted the various appeals bordering on sacked and disciplined workers, he disclosed that Volume at the Terminal has increased as a result of the good work put in by all.
His words: ” The job ahead will be rough and tough but we will get to our goal if we remain in the same vessel, it will also be smooth, sometimes.”
He thanked all who made this possible and wished the best ahead.
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