Photo: Vanguard

Pregnant women appealing to Lagos State government to resolve their differences with the doctors who are currently on strike.

Calabar — Eighteen dock workers have dragged officials of the Maritime Dock Workers Union before the National Industrial Court, Calabar, over unpaid wages amounting to N800 million.

Counsel to the dock workers, Mr Mathew Atambi said, "The workers were retrenched for protesting non-payment of their wages and salaries since 2008." Atambi said they were urging the court to order the payment of the workers wages, since all attempts to reconcile out of court has proved abortive.

He said contrary to claims by the union officials that the retrenched workers were casual staff, the workers were permanent staff.

According to him, the parties in the suit include, the President General of the Nigerian Maritime Workers Union, Eastern branch president of the union, Nigerian Ports Authority and Air Marine.

Meanwhile, Justice Auwal Ibrahim has adjourned ruling in the suit to June 5, 2012.

When contacted for comments, president of the Maritime Workers Union in the state, Mr Johnson Udoeffiong refused to speak. However, the spokesman of the workers, Mr James Ofere said there was a need for the Federal Government to enforce the agreement of tenancy port operators at the Calabar Port.