The President National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, Mr. Abednego Galadima, has decried the lingering redundancy payment in Aero Contractors since 2016.

Speaking in an interview with Aviation Journalists over the weekend, Galadima, called on the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON to ensure that the monies are immediately paid so that the affected workers can get on with their lives.

He stated that about 50 of their members were affected by redundancy in Aero with the total money still being calculated.

He observed that the management of Aero reneged on their promise to give every member a letter communicating to him what is due.

“NAAPE is always willing to support the growth and development of the industry, particularly, we advocated recently for the industry to be given some palliatives because we know we have a symbiotic relationship with them (airlines).
Once the airlines benefits, our members too will benefit. Aviation industry is the only sector that we know. We want the industry under our watch to grow,” Galadima stated.

He lamented that most private airline operators still owe their members pension as they deduct and not remit.

He said: “We want them to be sensitised and let them know that it is not right. By the time it is accumulated, they won’t be able to pay again. So, we want the entire industry to know”.

On the issue of sacked pilots in airlines due to Covid-19 pandemic, NAAPE president explained that in Bristow, “the company claimed that their business has dwindled and therefore some of the staff including NAAPE members were declared redundant, but, they have paid them. Everyone has been paid, nothing is outstanding”.

“In the case of Air Peace, as I speak with you today, the airline has returned the staff salaries to pre-Covid-19 pandemic. And then, they also gave opportunity to those who want to come back to do so”.

He said NAAPE want industrial harmony where the workers and the employees will have peace in their relationship.

On the issue of the cabals in Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON; Galadima said their members who were sacked by a particular airline are getting jobs from other airlines now.

According to him: “We worked with the regulatory body (NCAA) and that has been overturned. Some of the pilots that left an Airline A for instance are now working in Airline B and others. There is migration.
The simple reason is that we are in a competitive and a free market economy. So, you can’t stop people from moving.

“Again, NAAPE as a part of its strategies is already building bridges so that we can move with one voice in the sector. One of such effort is the meeting that we are going to be holding on Monday (tomorrow) with the leadership of AON. And some of those issues will still be fine-tuned through the meeting”.