Bunu To Dockworkers: Halt Operations If Workers Are Injured — Says Members’ Lives Not For Multinationals’ Negligence

Bunu To Dockworkers: Halt Operations If Workers Are Injured — Says Members’ Lives Not For Multinationals’ Negligence

Determined to prioritize members’ safety, the President General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, has issued a stern warning to dockworkers at the quay aprons across seaports nationwide to always halt port operations whenever a worker is injured.

Bunu gave the warning on Friday in Lagos during Dockworkers Branch Working Committee (BWC) meeting. He called on quayside workers to prioritize safety at port terminals to ensure accident-free operations. The unionist stated that workers’ lives cannot be sacrificed in the line of duty due to multinational companies’ negligence; hence, any injured person must be rescued before work can continue.

The President General lamented that some quayside workers are not properly kitted, stressing that dockers are always exposed to accidents regardless of the degree of injury.

Appealing to dockers to report accidents or injuries at the terminals, Bunu tasked quayside workers to save a life before resuming work, noting that members’ lives are important.

According to him, compensation for workers injured at the quayside by concessionaires has been appalling, and the union will not tolerate poor compensation from terminal operators despite their multi-billion-dollar investments.

He assured that recent accident victims have been well cared for by employers.

The President General pointed out that MWUN is committed to maintaining a robust working relationship with terminal operators and other maritime employers, stressing that workers’ safety must be prioritized.

He recalled that union interventions have led to better negotiations with employers and vowed to continue opposing poor compensation for injured workers across all four branches.

Bunu also condemned the illegal deduction of pensions by terminal operators and stevedoring companies without remitting funds to the appropriate quarters, maintaining that the union will not tolerate such practices.

“We are preparing to tackle this issue. Some companies have deducted six or seven months of pension contributions, and we cannot allow them to do illegal things to our members,” he said.

“We have call on seafarers, dockworkers, and other union members to always report their problems to us. When I came into office, the backlog of unpaid compensation was alarming.

“Regarding pensions, how can a terminal operator or stevedoring company deduct your money without remitting it to the proper authorities? The union is coming after them.”

Citing examples, Bunu disclosed that negotiations under his leadership have yielded positive results. One injured worker’s compensation rose from N2 million to N10 million with automatic employment, while another victim received N45 million against an initial offer of N10 million.