By Emmanuel Onyedika
Domestic flight operations in Lagos and Abuja were disrupted on Tuesday as aviation unions staged industrial action, leaving passengers stranded at affected airports.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), under the leadership of the NLC and TUC, said the shutdown was in protest against alleged anti-union practices by domestic airlines and the non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) owed to aviation agencies.
In a statement, the unions explained: “Making unfettered unionisation of staff in their organisation impossible after several efforts by the aviation unions. Their workers dare not even express the intention to belong to unions of their choices.” They added that they had “magnanimously issued a 3-day Notice of Strike” to defaulting airlines following an earlier picketing notice issued on August 4.
The unions demanded an “unequivocal declaration” through circulars and direct communication to airline employees that they were free to join unions without fear of victimisation.
The action comes amid a wider dispute between the unions and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) over remittance of the charge.
Reacting, Air Peace announced in a statement titled “Temporary Disruption of Flight Operations Following Ongoing Industrial Action at Airports” that its operations had been affected, noting: “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 Director-General of Civil Aviation appealed to the unions to exercise restraint pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who is working to resolve the issues.
However, Air Peace spokesperson, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, later told a national publication that flights had resumed: “We are operating flights already. Flights will operate today irrespective of the situation.”