Workers of West Africa’s and Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace Limited, have dissociated themselves from the ongoing picketing of airlines by aviation industry unions, saying they are not part of the industrial action.
The workers said the picketing, which has disrupted flight operations in Abuja and Lagos, does not represent their position or interests.
A spokesman for the workers, Comrade Aminu Suleiman, said that in the 12 years since the establishment of Air Peace, employees of the airline had always had a voice in the running of the company and had no need to join an industrial union.
According to him, workers are constitutionally free to decide whether or not to belong to a trade union.
“We can choose to join or not. It’s not by force. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, guarantees the freedom of association,” he said.
He added that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) constitution also recognises the voluntary nature of union membership.
“Section 12 of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) constitution also specifically states that membership of the union is voluntary,” he said.
The workers said they had no need for union representation because, according to them, they already enjoy many of the benefits they believe unions are seeking from airline management.
“What do we need unionism for? For 12 years, we have been getting our salaries regularly. We have HMO. The airlines that were unionised, where are they today? They had no HMO, and the unions could not secure severance benefits for them,” Suleiman said, amid applause from the workers.
The workers also accused the unions of creating divisions between employers and employees for their own interests.
They maintained that their decision not to participate in the picketing was deliberate and urged the public not to associate them with the industrial action.
The workers said they were satisfied with the existing channels of engagement with the airline’s management and believed their interests were adequately protected.
It would be recalled that an industrial action by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) resulted in the barricading of entrances to departure terminals at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Terminal 1, including the Alpha and Zulu terminals, and Terminal 2 in Lagos, as well as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal in Abuja.
The action has disrupted airline operations at the affected airports, leaving passengers stranded and forcing the cancellation or disruption of scheduled flights.
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