By Bimbola Oyesola and Chinelo Obogo
Aviation unions on Monday picketed four agencies and ground flight operations in Lagos as it embarked on the now suspended two-day warning strike over the non-implementation of the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment.
The unions involved in the industrial action were the National Union of Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE). The Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) was supposed to take part in the strike but withdrew on Sunday evening.
NAUTE and AUPCTRE issued a statement at the weekend, saying that despite their best efforts, the conditions of service of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) as negotiated for upwards of seven years with the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment remain unimplemented since 2019.
On Monday, both unions picketed the zonal offices of NCAA and NAMA at the Lagos Airport, Ikeja. The NiMeT office at Oshodi was also picketed.
But their actions were not without casualties as three of the protesting workers were injured by Air Force officials which made them suspend the strike to take care of the injured members.
According to the General Secretary of AUCPTRE, Sikiru Waheed, the strike on Monday was successful, but noted that some airlines took advantage of the waiver granted to the presidency to operate.
“It was a big success all the major airports, Kano, Portharcout, Maiduguri, Owerri, Benin, Ilorin all had no flights until 1p.m when we ended the action for the day. In fact there was no flight from Lagos to any part of the north today. We were at the airports since 4 a.m to ensure no flight and end by 1p.m,” he said.
However, both unions said in a statement on Monday evening that the strike has been suspended after appeals from Nigerians. They said it was their hope that the relevant agencies would heed their warning and take ameliorative steps towards meeting their demands.
In a related development, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has said that aviation fuel, also known as jet A1 is not sold at N700 per litre as claimed by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).