*Disrupt over 70 Air Peace domestic, regional flights
*United Nigeria Airlines grounds operations in protest
Chinedu Eze
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) early Tuesday picketed the operation of Nigeria’s leading carrier, Air Peace, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, forcing the airline to cancel over 70 daily flights.
The unions said they are protesting against the 5% Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) owed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) but the airlines.
But NCAA had earlier confirmed that it had made agreed payment arrangement with the airlines to offset the debt which accrued when jet fuel prices spiked from N900 per litre to N3, 500 during the US-Iran war.
The unions also said the second reason why they picketed the airlines was because they refused to allow their workers join the unions.
But the unions only disrupted Air Peace operations, beat up and injured the airlines workers for refusing to join the unions. They did not give any explanation why they only targeted Air Peace operation because besides Aero Contractors and Arik Air, other domestic airlines workers are not members of any of the unions.
However, United Nigeria Airlines has suspended its operation in protest against the disruption of Air Peace flights. The airline directed its workers to suspend flight operations.
Air Peace in a statement said, “We wish to inform our esteemed passengers and the general flying public of temporary disruptions to our flight operations arising from the picketing of our airline and the ongoing industrial action by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“The ongoing industrial action has resulted in the barricading of the entrances to our departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Alpha and Zulu Terminals) and Terminal 2 in Lagos, as well as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal in Abuja.”
The airline further explained that the blockade has restricted access to these terminals, preventing the departure of scheduled flights from Lagos and Abuja. Consequently, passengers scheduled to travel across our network have been significantly affected by the disruption to flight operations.
“Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control. Passengers scheduled to travel later today are being contacted and provided with relevant updates as the situation evolves,” the airlines said.
The Director General of NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, said in a statement that the agency was aware of the ongoing industrial action by aviation unions and its impact on passengers and other stakeholders.
“The NCAA appeals to the unions to sheathe their swords and exercise restraint pending the return of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who has been actively working towards resolving the issues. The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Honourable Minister last week, but the meeting could not hold as the airline operators failed to honour the invitation,” he said.
But the Airlines Operators of Nigeria in a statement said that they did not have issues with labour; that NCAA had directed them on what to do and both the airlines and the agency agreed on payment schedule for the debt that accumulated during the US-Iran crisis and they have been complying with the payment so, the unions have no role to play in the arrangement.
However, the unions picketing Air Peace operations beat up the airlines workers when they said they do not want to become members of the unions, but even some members of the unions admitted to THISDAY that it is not compulsory for workers to join any union.
In fact, Under Nigerian labour law, trade union membership is entirely voluntary for all workers, including those in the aviation sector. No employee can be forced to join a union or be punished for refusing to join one.