Turkish Airlines, a major Middle Eastern carrier, appears to have suspended flight services to Nigeria following a picketing of its operations by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
According to reports the airline is accused of abandoning over 300 passengers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos due to the disruption.
The NLC claims that Turkish Airlines unjustifiably dismissed about seven of its eleven Nigerian staff since 2020, in violation of Nigerian laws.
The union had urged the airline to reinstate the affected employees, who were allegedly forced to resign under duress or were victimized for their union membership.
Negotiations between the NLC and Turkish Airlines were ongoing but ultimately failed to reach an agreement.
Read Also:
Reports suggest that the airline informed its Nigerian passengers of a temporary suspension of flights in and out of the country until the labor dispute is resolved.
Last Tuesday, the NLC mobilized its nationwide affiliates to picket Turkish Airlines’ operations in Lagos. In a notice signed by Acting General Secretary Chris Ufot, the NLC directed all aviation unions to participate heavily in the picketing.
The NLC also put the Federal Capital Territory on standby, ready to escalate the protest to Abuja airport if necessary.
The NLC accused Turkish Airlines’ management of attempting to eliminate the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) from the airline.
The management reportedly dismissed seven out of eleven union members on fabricated charges, using a disciplinary committee that violated the negotiated conditions of service with NUATE.
