Workers of Murphy Shipping and Commercial Services in Port Harcourt, today, protested unpaid seven months’ salary, gratuities, pensions and other entitlements.
The protesting workers, who are members of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) carried placards, demanding justice.
Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Shipping, Clearing and Forwarding Agents (SSASCFA) Branch of TUC, Murphy Unit, Leonard Madu, told reporters that the alleged ill-treatment necessitated the peaceful protest.
He said despite reaching out to the management, nothing was done in the last three months.
Madu said: “We have written series of letters to the management of the company on the salary arrears, gratuities and pensions for some of our members who retired over four years ago without response.
“We have also written to the Rivers State House of Assembly and heads of all the security agencies in the state on the matter, but the management has refused to hearken to our demands.”
Vice-Chairman of MWUN, Murphy Unit, Fidelis Amaraha, noted that the neglected workers had no intention of a full-blown strike, hence the peaceful picketing of the company.
He called on the management to pay them, to save them from further suffering.
The Taskforce Chairman of TUC and MWUN Richardson Chimenum accused the management of diverting pensions deducted from workers, without remitting them to IBTC, their pension managers.
Chimenum said some workers had died, their children out of school, adding that those alive were finding it difficult to make ends meet.
General Manager of the company’s Port Harcourt branch Mrs. Uche Iregbu said she was not competent to comment on the protest and workers’ demands.
