Seafarers under the auspices of the Merchant Seafarers Association of Nigeria (MESAN) have expressed concerns regarding recent claims about the increase in Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) with shipping companies and manning agents as well as the claimed spike in the union membership. These concerns follow recent claims made by the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) to the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) London.
During a visit by Mrs. Barning Annica Marie, Project Coordinator on the Maritime Affiliate Support (MAS) project, the association reported that its number of CBAs for seafarers had increased from five to about 20 in the last four years, while also recording membership growth from about 3,000 to about 10,000.
This assertion does not align with Nigerian seafarers, who challenged the announcement that the number of seafarers in their union had reached 10,000, questioning both the veracity of the membership numbers and the actual benefits derived from recent CBAs.
The Secretary-General of MESAN and a U.S.-trained maritime and security expert, Captain Alfred Oniye, made a pointed counter-claim. He queried the quality of the CBAs secured by the group and wondered if there truly are as many as 10,000 Nigerian seafarers.
Oniye stated that a numerical increase in CBAs does not automatically translate into better conditions for Nigerian seafarers and pushed for a closer examination of whether these agreements adequately address key issues like wages, safety, and working hours.
Oniye also called into question the effectiveness of the MAS project, which has been linked to improved negotiations under the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC).
“While it is commendable to acknowledge these initiatives, the country must scrutinise their direct impact on the seafarers’ working conditions,” he emphasised, advocating for tangible evidence of improvements. Moreover, Oniye’s skepticism extends to the claimed growth in union membership, which he believes needs to be supported by concrete data.
“We must rely on credible sources, such as government records or industry reports, to validate the membership count,” he noted. The secretary-general also highlighted the complexities in accurately tracking the number of seafarers due to informal work patterns and varied maritime activities that include part-time or combined occupations, making it challenging to obtain an exact count.
Oniye said the call for clarity and accountability in union reporting underscored a critical need for a more detailed and evidence-based approach to assessing the progress in seafarers’ welfare and union advocacy. He pointed towards a broader dialogue about ensuring that maritime labor improvements in Nigeria are not just numerical but result in real and substantial benefits for seafarers.
