Stakeholders in Nigeria’s shipping and maritime industry, Tuesday took a swipe at the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria MWUN, especially under the leadership of the current President –General, Adewale Adeyanju, over what they called the deployment of arm-twisting strategy in seeking its members’ welfare.

Recall that the union had some time in March this year, issued an indefinite strike notice to the Shipping Association of Nigeria SAN, which is made up of shipping lines agencies operating in the country, which many believed did not follow laid-down legal procedures for the declaration of strike action, which it called off eventually.

Only last week again, less than three months after, the union issued another indefinite strike notice with effect from Monday, June 5, 2023, over alleged poor remuneration by shipping companies operating in the country,.in which it threatened to shut the nation’s seaports, boasting that other affiliate unions would join the strike.

The President General had further claimed that the Nigerian Shippers Council has lost its powers and voice as Economic Regulator of the Ports, as it seemed like the shipping companies are above the council, which should ordinarily regulate them, a development that has left the union to take its fate in its own hands.

A stakeholder, who reacted to the suspension of the strike on the condition of anonymity, noted that the union was only deploying arm-twisting strategy with the instrumentality of strike, when there was still room for interventions, dialogue and negotiations.

According to him, it was the intervention provided by the same Shippers Council the union derided and written-off that led to the resolution of impasse, which could not have been achieved through strikes and lockdowns.

“Over the years, it has been a well -established fact that strike actions and protests do not resolve labour- related issues but negotiations, dialogue do. That is why we always advise that the option of amicable resolution of the issues must be pursued to a logical conclusion and when that fails, strike, if need be becomes an inevitable option.

“In the current case, the Nigerian Shippers Council was still on the matter, as it has not given up only for the leadership of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria to resolve to begin the protest. All the parties loose something when there is protest and that is why we strongly advise against it. You can agree with me that the amicable resolution of the issue following the council’s intervention is a win-win not only for the parties but also for Nigeria’s economy as whole”, he argued.

Another stakeholder, who also pleaded not to be mentioned, noted that the older generations of the leadership of the Maritime Workers Union were not always quick to declare frivolous strikes and protest, as due process must be followed as provided by extant labour laws.

He said: “In those olden days, the shipping lines were very powerful, you know it was during the military era and many of them had top military officers on their boards and there was no Economic Regulator. But the leaderships of the MWUN in those days were tact and strategic in their approach to issues and would not declare frivolous strikes and protests.

“It was a fact then that when the leadership of the union sneezed, the shipping lines would catch cold as powerful as they were because the union would have done its home properly in line with the provisions labour laws and other international instruments, so you cannot ignore them.”

He however congratulated and thanked the management of the Nigerian Shippers Council under Hon. Emmanuel Jime for intervening and resolving the issues. He also urged parties to adhere strictly to the resolutions contained in the communique issued and signed by both parties in the interest of peace and stability in the maritime industry, which is crucial to Nigeria’s economy, especially now.