By Chinelo Obogo
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has suspended it’s planned strike over low salary wages following the intervention of the Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Musa Nuhu.
The union had on Tuesday, directed its members who are security officials at the airport and logistics sub-sector, to withdraw their services from Wednesday over poor wages.
In a circular signed by the General Secretary, Ocheme Aba, and sent to the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Commissioner of Police, Airports Command, the Airport Commandant, Director, Department of State Security (DSS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, the union said that the withdrawal of service was inevitable.
It said that all efforts to negotiate improved wages for their members in the past have failed and wondered why N30,000 can be sufficient for the personnel considering Nigeria’s economic situation.
But the DG of the NCAA, Capt. Nuhu, had appealed to union to suspend the planned strike, promising to intervene and ensure their concerns are addressed.
In a letter addressed to the union, he said: “The Authority seeks your indulgence to postpone the withdrawal of services by the private security firms at the nation’s airport scheduled to start on Wednesday 16th August 2023.
“This will create an opportunity for the Authority to intervene in this dispute and with a view to find lasting solutions to the issues raised by NUATE. A meeting will be called with the union, private security firms and the airlines. You may wish to note the precarious situation of the aviation industry as such we must all collaborate to avoid making matters worse for all stakeholders.”