Maritime workers issue 7 days ultimatum to intels over sack workers

Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has issued seven- day ultimatum to Intels Nigeria Limited to withdraw all letters of termination and redundancy issued to 600 workers of the organisation or face total shut down of its operations nationwide.

In a letter of ultimatum to the Managing Director, Intels Nig. Ltd, Onne Port, Rivers, the Secretary-General of MWUN, Felix Akingboye , said “we are informed that your management has terminated its contract with Associate Maritime Service which has led to our 600 workers (who are our members) being declared redundant without due recourse to the union for the negotiation of their terminal benefits

“Letters of termination/redundancy, we are informed had already been served on the workers.

The statement read in part, “this unfair labour practice is not acceptable to us hence, I have been directed to issue your management with a 7 -day notice effective from date of this ultimatum, with which to withdraw all the letters of termination/redundancy served on the workers and recall them to duty, otherwise, we shall be compelled to withdraw our services from your terminal at the expiration of the notice.

“Recently, your Management declared about thirty (30) of its employees redundant and the Union was duly consulted, and a joint communique between Management and the Union was issued after due negotiation.

The letter stressed that, “over the years the welfare benefits of your employees (Intels Nig. Ltd.) and that of your subsidiary Company, (AMS) has always been the product of joint negotiation between your Management and the Union. In other words, the employees of the Principal i.e. Intels Nigeria Ltd. and its subsidiary AMS enjoy the same welfare benefits.

“Meanwhile, we demand that status quo ante should remain pending when a Management/Union meeting is convened to negotiate their exit and payment of terminal benefits.