- APFFLON berates NLC, TUC over increased hardships
The recent 2-day strike action by labour unions is estimated to have accrued over N200billion demurrage costs to be paid by importers and freight agents at seaports across the nation.
Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) made the revelation in a press statement disseminated on Wednesday as it vehemently criticised the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) for not considering small business owners and Nigerians who are not in the Federal Government’s employ before taking drastic actions.
Although there are hopes that as port economic regulator, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) would be able to secure a waiver from shipping lines while Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is equally expected to do same with terminal operators, historically such protests have left importers paying the additional demurrage and storage charges.
The NLC and TUC called of its nationwide industrial action Tuesday afternoon having sat at the negotiation table with the Federal Government for days over demand for improved minimum wage for Nigerian workers and requests for a downward review of electricity tariff.
“The labour unions, on Monday, June 3rd embarked on an indefinite strike to drive home their demands. The industrial action which literally caused temporary shutdown of the national grid throwing the nation into darkness, and crippling economic activities as well; but on Tuesday it suspended for five days.”
“We condemn the labour unions for always embarking on industrial actions for selfish reasons. The trade unions are not looking the way of ordinary people who are struggling to make ends meet before taking drastic decisions,” the press release signed by the National President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, said.
The APFFLON President accused the trade unions of punishing ordinary people by shutting down power supply and plunging the nation into darkness.
His words: “Shutting down power supply does not only affect the government because they use tax payers money to buy diesel to power their offices. What about the poor masses who are not in government’s employ, artisans, small and medium scale business owners whose businesses depend on electricity.”
“At a time like this when some people can no longer afford to feed themselves, a time families are stuck in excruciating economic situation, some can not afford malaria drugs not to talk of hospital bills, a time people are living in hopelessness because of very harsh economic policies; trade unions are emasculating businesses by shutting down power supply; when there are other ways to drive home their demands.”
“Head or tail, it is still the masses that will suffer, the unemployed and small business owners. If the Federal Government agrees to pay N400,000 as minimum wage, prices of commodities will increase significantly that ordinary people would starve to death.”
Nothing that Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) always swiftly join nationwide strike in solidarity with the NLC/TUC without considering the implications, he lamented that shipping companies and terminal operators will not consider waiver for the number of days the strike lasted.
“Who pays those additional charges, does that not amount to more financial burden on importers? Most of the actions taken by the leaderships of these unions are ill-conceived and anti people.”
“It’s time for freight forwarders and leaderships of all maritime associations to come together to stamp their feet and resist NLC and TUC incessant calls for industrial actions if at all we love the profession. Over 200 billion must have been accrued as demurrage for the two days it lasted,” he asserted.