Conflicting Signals As Aviation Workers Begin Strike Today

There are conflicting signals coming from Aviation authorities and the workers union on the proposed industrial action scheduled to begin across the Nigerian Aviation Industry today.

The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said the airspace would open to traffic, but NAMA workers said it would be closed as a result of unresolved labour issues. It urged the public to disregard the NAMA statement.

In a joint statement signed by Comrade Olayinka Abioye, Abdulkareem Motajo and Aba Ocheme at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE ) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), the workers said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that the ultimatum issued against NAMA shall expire 0000 hrs 19th May 2013 and appropriate actions shall commence thereafter. In view of the reactionary, timid, and misleading statement by NAMA management through Supo Atobatele, who in the first instance is not the author of the ultimatum, we wish to reassure all our members that no retreat, no surrender, and until all grievances are sorted out, there is no going back on our cause of action”

The Unions said all workers had been put on standby for the implementation of the action.

But NAMA said the airspace would remain open to traffic, “despite the unwarranted threat from some trade union leaders who have vowed in their cocoons to endanger safety and security within the nation’s airspace”.

It assured all the foreign airlines that the nation’s airspace would be open to traffic and urged them to continue to file in their normal flight plan without exercising any fear.

Director-General Nnamdi Udoh said he was surprised that the workers’ representatives at the Friday meeting could suddenly have changed their mind to continue deliberation on the matter.

A statement by Atobatele said: “The management maintained that shortly after receiving approval from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, the agency immediately embarked on the process of implementation by setting up an advisory committee which was all- inclusive, comprising management staff, accounts staff and representatives from the trade unions.

“Based on the report of the advisory committee, the management commenced since February,2013 the full payment of the new consolidated salary structure as approved and promised to pay 13 months arrears thereafter.

“There was a letter of commendation from the unions to that effect, even though they asked the management to look into some grey areas of the approved salary structure. Perhaps, this informed the agitation for further increase outside the approved salary by the wages commission.

“It may interest the public that an average top official of the agency earns additional N100,000 to his or her salary following the implementation of the new salary structure and the condition of service which makes it far above the approved structure from the wages commission.

“Despite this obvious improvement on the welfare package of staff, the unions pressed for three things; between 5-10% increase in the basic salary, lump sum payment of leave bonus and commencement in the payment of arrears.

“The management has been faithful and transparent in the implementation of the new salary structure. Despite this, the managing director last week directed the Human Resources department to sit down with the union leaders and the finance department to look at the so called grey areas.

“The process was still on when the strike threat came, though without prior notice to the management. We confirm again that the last Friday meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere during which the meeting was further adjourned till today (Monday).

“In view of the above and considering the meeting held on Friday in Lagos, which was adjourned till this morning (Monday), one could see that there is no need for this threat and confrontational posture from the trade unions, except for other ulterior motives best known to the sponsors of this so called strike as there is no declaration of trade dispute where the federal ministry of labour would have intervened.