PASSENGERS STRANDED AS AVIATION UNIONS COMMENCE WARNING STRIKE

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Travelers are left stranded in airports across the nation as aviation unions begin a two-day warning strike.

The development is coming as a reaction to what they described as ‘unpalatable’ working conditions and entitlements.

National Union of Air Transport Employee, NUATE; Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN; National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, ANAP are among the unions involved.

It is gathered that members of the unions after their meeting with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) ended in a stalemate blocked the entrance to the Murtala Muhammad Airport domestic terminal, leaving many passengers stranded.

NCAA’s Director-General, Civil Aviation, Capt. Musa Nuhu, had called on the union to shelve their planned two-day warning strike with representatives of the unions in attendance.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole who was also at the meeting, also urged the union to halt planned strike action.

But the union disregarded the appeal and insisted on going ahead with their warning strike.

The workers are demanding the approval and implementation of the condition of service (CoS), as agreed between them and the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), the office of the head of civil service of the federation, and other agencies.

Others are the non-implementation of minimum wage consequential adjustments and arrears for the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) since 2019 and the planned demolition exercise of all the agency buildings in Lagos by the minister of aviation for an airport city project.

In a memo signed by the leadership of the five unions, the workers said an indefinite strike would ensue if the two-day warning strike fails.

The strike has since commenced across all airports in Nigeria with many passengers stranded. Many of the passengers were seen trekking to the airport as the unions blocked exit to the domestic terminal one and the MMA2.

Security operatives, including police and military officers, are on the ground as the unions sing solidarity songs.