The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has issued a warning to employers in the maritime industry against cutting salaries and allowances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President of the Union, Adewale Adeyanju, issued the warning, saying any attempt to do so would be resisted by the union.
Adeyanju said workers did not deserve to be penalised for the COVID-19 lockdown since it was not their fault.
He said the union had received information that some managements in the port had issued an internal memo on a planned pay cut.
He said, “In very clear terms, we condemn this attempt to turn workers’ right on its head for the pecuniary gains of management without recourse to normal consideration and processes. We find it strange that workers will be subjected to punishment for a situation that is entirely out of their scope of control.
“This we will resist with all the arsenals at our disposal within the ambit of the law. Any management considering such gimmick is hereby put on notice.
“Most disheartening is the attempt by some unscrupulous managements to cut the salaries, wages and allowance of our members without any probable cause.”
