Bunu frowns at disparity in Workers’ wages, vows to fight against reduction of Workers’ gratuities

Segun Oladipupo

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The President General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu Abi has decried the disparity in renumeration of workers within the same organisation.

He stated this at the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) 6th Branch Quadrennial Conference held at the union secretariat in Lagos

He fumed that while some are given full employment status, some are engaged as contract staff with disparities in their wages.

“Some of the parastatals contract jobs to outsiders within the same country. Some will be staff while some will be contract staff.

“It is Nigerian Ports Authority, why should some take more and some take little. The union is taking it as one of the top priorities with the federal government.”

Speaking further, Comrade Bunu pointed out that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) branch of the union may go into extinction due to the dwindling number of the staff in the junior cadre

He therefore appealed that more personnel be employed into the junior cadre.

“There are two issues on ground, NPA was the giant of MWUN but today, the number of the junior staff is going down.

“We want our brothers to know that without somebody opening, the door, how can you enter? We are begging that if we don’t take our time, the NPA union will go into extinction.”

He promised that he union would stand for the workers to make sure that the right thing is done for the workers..

He noted that reduction in the gratuity of workers in NPA poses concern for the union especially due to the fact it was carried out without reckoning with the union..

He therefore called on the management of the the apex maritime fence to restore the gratuity rate

“Secondly, the gratuity that they brought down. If they want to do anything, they should discuss with us.

“We are saying they should bring it back to the old standard. We are saying no to any deduction without duly informing us