Business

Unionisation: Maritime workers issue 21- day ultimatum to Chevron

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited to address the union’s demand for the unionisation of the employees of its service providers. MWUN, in a letter addressed to the Managing Director of the company, expressed disappointment that since 2016 after the union held a tripartite meeting between Chevron and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency requesting for the comprehensive list of all the companies providing maritime services for Chevron for the purpose of the unionisation of their employees, there had been no response.

The letter signed by the union’s Secretary General, Mr Felix Akingboye, accused Chevron of deliberately shielding its employees from being unionised. Ships and Ports quoted the union as saying, “Reference is made to a tripartite meeting held on Thursday, November 24, 2016, between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and your management at the NIMASA Zonal office, Warri, Delta State where your management was mandated to submit to NIMASA and the union, the comprehensive list of all maritime companies providing marine services for the purpose of the unionisation of their employees.

“We are disappointed to note that till date, you have refused to furnish the required document for unionisation thereby shielding your vendors’ employees from being unionised. We have waited long enough and our patience has been stretched to the elastic limit.”

The group then gave the oil major 21 days from February 20 to produce the list. When contatced for comment,the Manager, Communications at Chevron, Mr Sola Adebawo, was yet to get back to the  reporter but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report. Punch