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By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
Aviation unions have threatened to withdraw their services on Tuesday, February 8, if the negotiated conditions of service for aviation agencies is not released for implementation.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Ocheme Aba, Deputy General Secretary of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Frances Akinjole, General Secretary of Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) Abdulrasaq Saidu and Secretary General of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE), Waheed Sikiru, the unions said they issued this ultimatum to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the six aviation agencies because of the failure of to release negotiated Conditions of service of the Agencies since 2013 and non-implementation of Minimum Wage/Consequential Adjustment since 2019.
They called on the managements of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation to utilise the one week window to avert the impending crisis by prevailing on the relevant government agencies to act jointly to ensure their demands are met,
The statement reads:
‘Our unions issued ultimatums to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the six aviation agencies over the vexed issues of failure to release negotiated Conditions of service of the Agencies since 2013 and non-implementation of Minimum Wage/Consequential Adjustment since 2019. All the ultimatums expired January 31, 2019 without the demands being met in any form.
‘The meeting called by the Federal Ministry of Aviation on January 31, 2013 did not resolve the issues as there was no clear assurance from the Ministry/Managements’ delegation towards meeting our genuine demands. In the circumstance, our unions are left with no choice than to take the next obvious step. In this regard, all aviation workers are hereby directed to commence total withdrawal of services from midnight of Tuesday 8th of Feb, 2022 unless, and until, otherwise directed in this same manner.
‘May we advise the managements of FAAN, NCAA, NAMA, NIMET, AIB and NCAT, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Aviation to utilise the one week window so provided to avert this huge crises by prevailing on the relevant government agencies to act jointly to ensure that our twin demands are met, which are: All Conditions of service of NCAA, NAMA, FAAN, NiMet and any other aviation agency pending before the Ministry of Aviation, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, or any other organ of government or management of the agencies must be released wholly for implementation with the effective date of the signing of the agreement between our Unions and the respective agencies.
‘The new minimum wage/consequential adjustment must be immediately implemented with effect from the law’s effective date of April, 2019. Accordingly, all branches and State Councils of the undersigned unions are to commence joint and individual mobilisation of aviation workers nationwide and ensure total compliance with this directive in all stations of operations of the six aviation agencies without fail. By this notice, all airlines, ground handling, aviation security/logistics, inflight catering, and other aviation related businesses as well as the general public are hereby notified that aviation services will be unavailable as from the given time until the issues are fully resolved.’
