From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The management of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has responded to the threat of industrial action by three aviation unions, citing efforts to address staff concerns and welfare issues and inviting them to a dialogue meeting.
The unions, which include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), had raised concerns over the conditions of service of their members.
Top on the union’s concerns are the non-implementation of the new minimum wage, non-payment of nine months’ arrears of consequential adjustments, and the refusal to implement the reviewed Scheme of Service.
Management, through the Director of Human Resource Management & Administration, Nasiru Sani, in a letter addressed to the unions’ leaders, said most issues raised by the unions require intervention from relevant government agencies, which NiMet has been engaging.
The management claimed to have made efforts to address staff concerns, including securing approval for an upward review of Cost Recovery (IGR) to improve staff welfare.
The management also highlighted ongoing staff training programmes and payment of Conditions of Service Allowance to all staff.
To NiMet’s management, the unions’ call for industrial action was deemed premature, lacking the required seven days’ notice, and potentially having security implications.
“NiMet’s management remains open to dialogue, extending an invitation to the unions to clarify perceived grey areas and uphold harmonious working relationships. Key areas of contention include”, he said.
The statement read in part, “It is being most unfair to management for the unions to allege that all elements of the agreement of 28th January 2025 remain agonisingly even when management have had to relate with the relevant government agencies to address issues raised by the unions.
“It must be noted that most of the issues that were raised were not those that management could handle with just the rule of thumb; they were issues that needed the interventions of other government agencies that management have related with and, in most of the cases, are awaiting responses or approvals.
“Management noted the unions’ recognition that the conditions of service had been forwarded to the ministry for processing.
“However, Management frowned very seriously at the Unions’ “unbelief” attitude, thinking that it could negatively tamper with a document that is also beneficial to members of Management.
“It is so demeaning for anyone to have insinuated and suspected any foul play on such a collective document. It would rather be observed that the Director General/Chief Executive Officer noted and added allowances that were not negotiated for at the committee meetings to enrich the content of the document, which he, of course, had the prerogative to do.
“Following the recent re-emergence of the resumption of the threat of industrial action, management is always open to dialogue to further emphasise perceived grey areas, as it intends to always uphold highly harmonious working relationships.
“In view of this, Management extends its invitation to you once again with a view to dialogue.”