About ninety five dock workers from the
five different sublet companies (Daisy Chain, Bluche, Biz Biak, Tobef etc) that
are eight hundred and eighty six under ENL Consortium Nig. ltd gathered on 25
November, 2016 (Friday) to review the whole seven month old of their struggle,
they workers have been demanding through peaceful and protest letters etc the
private shipping company pay them their ten years unpaid benefit and arrears
they worked for.
Being there struggle have jump in-to the
lane of legal battle with ENL, the workers agitation over this matter becomes
more sharper in knowing what to do next to earn their victory. At the meeting
that lasted for nearly two hours, there was a debate whether to procrastinate
their weekly meeting till next year before their first court sitting on 22
February, 2017 between them Dock workers and ENL Consortium Nig. Ltd; or
continued gathering together just the way it has been done for months now on
discussing strategy to sustain their struggle?
Why this debate of procrastination it
became the pillar of 25 November, 2016 Dock workers meeting, one of the worker
on his feet said that postponing the usual Friday meeting won’t augur well. “In
fact, it will kill the whole morale of workers”. For him, he suggested the
meeting should continue just the way they have been holding it. Other workers
who also spoke said the same thing without eating their tongue in
misinterpretation and consequence of not totally agreeing to
procrastination.
Comrades who were in the meeting also
accord with previous workers who spoke and argued for the general meeting to
continued aftermath of November 25 meeting held on Friday. The comrade speaking
said the importance of the meeting is to keep the united force of the workers
together in order not to loose grip of the struggle because of the reputation
earned in previously political struggle in-addition to the pressure lit beneath
the anus of both NIMASA and private owners of ENL Consortium for month.
The comrade further said it will be better
to keep the meeting going even though it won’t be the traditional days of every
Friday but fortnight will be a proposal. After much deliberations and proposals
on how to move forward and consolidate the struggle while approaches next year
(2017).
The ninety five Dock workers generally
accord on the following resolution with members of DSM present in the meeting:
1. The general meeting of Dock workers shall
be held fortnight on 2 and 16 December, 2016 respectively. And immediately
after the festive period as was agreed by all the workers the meeting shall
resume 13 January, 2017. And after then, meetings return back to every Friday
till their first court sitting.
2. It was agreed that leaders of ENL/TERMINAL
DOCKYARD STRUGGLE should meet with Barrister Gabriel handling their case after
his return from the burial he attended to write for appeal so to backtrack the
22 February, 2017 first court sitting to either December, 2016 or January,
2017. However, no paper was sold.
Immediately after the resolution was
adopted, a man between the aged brackets of 60 to 70 asked a question directly
to the leaders of ENL/TERMINAL DOCKYARD STRUGGLE that, after the first court
sitting, what then will be the next? From most of the reactions gotten from the
leaders they said they will continue with their struggle for the whole
entitlement to be paid.
Politically, DSM members who quickly make
reaction to the question also said that because of the way “law” in capitalist
government and politics is run most especially when it has to do with workers
and oppressed, it will be difficult for justice to prevail with them Dock
workers if refused putting up a political fight. For us members of DSM, that is
the only way to earn victory as far ENL consortium is concern they won’t stop
at a step. Instead they will do everything to break the spine of the struggle
if shield is put-off. no copy of the Social
Democracy bulletin was sold.
However, toward the end of the meeting,
leaders of the group addressing the workers for almost an hour and thirty
minutes briefly told their members that there was information about the
management of the company intending to call the eight hundred and eighty six of
ENL/TERMINAL DOCKYARD STRUGGLE for negotiation. Hearing this, more than half of
the workers at the meeting reacted sharply that the time hasn’t ripe for it.
That they workers will continue with their struggle until owners of ENL
Consortium (shipping company benefitting hugely from the policies of
privatization). No copy of the Social
Democracy bulletin was sold.
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