18th December, 2013
The Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporation (SSACTAC) of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Wednesday threatened the management with strike over unpaid salaries.
Mr Omeiza Umar, President of NPA Chapter of SSACTAC, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the workers were being owed 11 months salaries. He said that the workers would stop work at the expiration of the ultimatum given to the authority on Dec. 23.
“We gave the management of NPA three weeks ultimatum, starting from Dec. 10, to address issues on workers’ welfare. The issues affecting the workforce include the non-payment of the minimum wage of 2011, financial guide to the condition of service, promotion, housing loans, 2008 gratuity plan and other issues,” he said.
Umar said that the association had written a petition, dated June 12, 2013, to President Goodluck Jonathan, alleging that NPA had not paid tally clerks and onboard security workers for over 11 months.
The union leader said that the workers would down tools if the NPA management failed to meet their demands before Dec. 23.
He urged the Federal Government to prevail on the management to settle the workers to avoid the disruption of economic activities at the ports.
The unionist said the workers were aggrieved that the NPA substituted registered tally clerks with cargo surveyors.
He said that this was unconstitutional because it was only the dockworkers, which include tally clerks and on-board security operation that were registered by the National Dock Labour Board to work at the seaports.
Umar said that the dockworkers were also trained to work in private terminals and jetties to handle cargo, load and discharge of ships.
Mr Musa Iliya, the Assistant General Manager (Corporate Affairs) in NPA, said he could not respond to union’s allegations, but said that the management and the union had started talking to settle the issues.