Seafarers to shutdown Atlantas Crew Mgt over favouritism, passive attitude towards Workers’ welfare
Seafarers to shutdown Atlantas Crew Mgt over favouritism, passive attitude towards Workers' welfare
Segun Oladipupo
The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) has threatened industrial actions against Atlanta Crew Management over failure of the organisation to respond to the demands of the workers.
In a release, the union frowned at the disparity in payment of foreign and indigenous staff by the management of the company
The union lamenting that ACM can better this situation by urgent intervention in mitigating the devastating situation officers onboard its fleets find themselves.
The seafaring union expressed dissatisfaction over failure of the company to respond to letters written to management of the company for weeks, hence, the correspondences under reference has not received the attention it deserves either from the CEO or downline managers, which the union in turn described as unfortunate saying it is inimical to operational activities of the company.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliate maintained that it expected to engage the firm in Collective Bargaining Agreement and other mutual protections for members, hence have been very lenient with the company calling for a meeting to discuss the subject matter but has been adamant.
Secretary General of NMNOWTSSA, Comrade John Okpono Aleakhue in some of the letters addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Atlantas Crew Management (ACM), Navi-Mumbai, India, on Friday, 29th Sept, 2023, had requested for immediate succour to ameliorate the effect of subsidy removal and Naira devaluation on Nigeria seamen officers, urging management to meet with the union on or before 8th October, 2023 otherwise it shall proceed on an industrial action.
Giving insight, he said seafaring was an international profession that requires global wages alignment; to drive home his point, a Nigerian 2nd Officer for instance has a monthly take home pay of $1,415 (One Thousand Four Hundred and Fifteen) equivalent of N1,047,350 (One Million and Forty Seven Thousand Three Hundred and Fifty Naira) while his foreign counterparts with the same COC/work schedules earn up to $4,700 (Four Thousand seven hundred US dollars) equivalent to #3,478,000 in Nigeria currency using #740 to $1.
The statement threatened that there shall be three days’ work to rule commencing from 1200 hours on the 9th-12th October, 2023 if the company fails to engage the union
Comrade Aleakhue added that the letter was transmitted to the CEO on the 14th July, 2023 requesting for a meeting which was vehemently refused and subsequent letter dated 22nd of August, 2023 and 11th September, 2023 explaining the need for the negotiations to take place.
The leadership of NMNOWTSSA advised both ACM, Good work Marine Services and Tetra Marine Solution to act accordingly or face the proposed industrial actions.
The ITF & TUC affiliate union also expressed concerns over some Shipping companies in Nigeria that have no CBA in place for Nigerian seafarers. The union urged such Companies to come for a CBA or have the union to contend with, he added.
