The National Union of air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAO), have give the Federal Government, employers in the industry and the public notice, that it would take in defense of its members who have been sacked, recently.
During a joint press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, the General Secretary of NUATE, Ocheme Aba, the Deputy General Secretary of ATSSSAN, Frances Akinjole and the Secretary General of ANAP, Abdulrazaq Saidu, said the aviation’s industrial space has become terribly fouled by wickedness to employees, disrespect to labour laws and disregard to labour relations practices by employers and government. This means there is an urgent need for them to take actions against the assaults on the rights of aviation workers throughout the country.
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Among the issues discussed, the unions claimed that over 80 per cent of the aviation workforce in the private sector who have been furloughed for the past four months, remain in penury, while another large number of workers have coping with half or less salary within the period. The unions have alleged that the airlines have made it impossible for their employees to join trade unions easily, saying it is a clear violation of the Constitution of Nigeria and the Labour Act. This was said by the union after serving notices to Arik Air, Aero Contractors, Turkish Airlines, Air Peace, Dana Air, Azman Air, Caverton Helicopters and others. These airlines have been warned that in the coming days, they will have to “contend with the wrath of aviation workers unless they ameliorate their various situations soon enough.”
They also said that the negotiated conditions of service in most of the agencies have been lying fallow for over seven years and that the Minimum Wage Act which was signed into law and took effect from April 1, 2020 has not been implemented by most of the agencies.
