Nigerian seafarers question validity of CBA improvements, membership

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.