Aviation unions, on Tuesday, disrupted domestic flight operations in Lagos and Abuja, leaving passengers stranded at both airports.
National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, under the leadership of the NLC and Trade Union Congress, grounded operations over alleged anti-union practices by domestic airlines and the non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge owed to aviation agencies.
The protest began at about 5am in Lagos, with the Zulu terminal gate at the Murtala Muhammed Airport reportedly under lock and key.
The strike initially affected Air Peace, the country’s largest domestic airline, with passengers scheduled to travel on its flights were left stranded at the airport.
An Air Peace flight scheduled to depart Lagos at 6:30am could not take off as passengers waited amid the disruption.
The development sparked frustration among passengers, some of whom lamented the uncertainty surrounding their travel plans.
One of the passengers said the delay had disrupted his schedule, expressing concern that he could not tell when the flight would eventually depart.
Another passenger said she had arrived at the airport early for the 6:30am flight but was left stranded without clear information on when operations would resume.
An operator familiar with the issue stated that the protest was intended to enforce Air Peace employees’ right to join the union.
The unions’ action followed a three-day notice of strike issued to domestic airlines after they had earlier warned on August 4 that they were prepared to commence industrial action “at any time without further notice.”
The unions said the latest action was taken after several weeks of giving affected airlines an opportunity to address their grievances.
According to the unions, some domestic airlines had allegedly made it difficult for their employees to freely join trade unions despite repeated efforts by the aviation unions to secure the right of workers to unionise.
They alleged that employees were afraid to openly express their intention to belong to unions of their choice because of fear of discrimination or victimisation.
Both unions demanded that the affected airlines issue clear directives to their employees affirming their freedom to join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation.
They also accused domestic airlines of withholding the five per cent TSC already collected from passengers, saying the funds were meant to support the operations of aviation agencies.
The unions said the alleged non-remittance had affected the implementation of collective bargaining agreements negotiated on behalf of workers in the aviation agencies.
In a statement announcing the industrial action, the unions said they had “magnanimously issued a 3-day Notice of Strike” to defaulting domestic airlines following the earlier picketing notice issued on August 4.
The unions listed the alleged obstruction of unionisation and non-remittance of the TSC among the major reasons for the action.
They said: “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.”
On the TSC, the unions accused the airlines of withholding funds already collected, arguing that the development was undermining the operations of aviation agencies.
They warned that the situation was creating frustration among aviation workers and could have implications for safety.
“This continues to breed disgruntled air transport workers; the implication of which is an accident in the waiting!” the unions said.
The unions demanded an “unequivocal declaration” through circulars and other direct means of communication to airline employees that they were free to join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation.
They also demanded the immediate remittance of what they described as the “seized operational funds” of aviation agencies to enable the agencies to implement the conditions of service agreed with their workers.
The dispute over the TSC has been escalating between aviation unions and domestic airlines, with the unions insisting that the five per cent charge is a statutory source of funding for aviation agencies.
The development also comes amid a wider disagreement between the unions and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) over the remittance of the charge.
It was,however, gathered that in response to the action, Air Peace also blocked runways in Lagos, effectively shutting down takeoff and landing by other airlines.
Commenting on the development, Air Peace, in a statement titled, “Temporary Disruption of Flight Operations Following Ongoing Industrial Action at Airports,” announced that its flight operations had been temporarily disrupted.
The airline 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, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Trade Union Congress.
“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 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 Director-General of Civil Aviation appealed to the unions to sheathe their swords and exercise restraint pending the return of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, who has been actively working towards resolving the issues.
He said: “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 honor the invitation.
“The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities.
“We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable.
“The NCAA regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers and appreciates their patience and understanding.”
Efforts to reach Air Peace through its customer care line were unsuccessful, as calls to the line were not reachable at the time of filing this report.
The NLC and aviation unions’ protest consequently disrupted movement at the affected airports, with passengers awaiting further information on when normal flight operations would resume.
