The National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, has called on Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, to urgently review his Aviation Road Map.
In his May Day message to the aviation workers, the National President of NUATE, Comrade Ben Nnabue said the Union is of the view that the projects under the Road Map require significant adjustments to harmonize them with current realities in the world of aviation and in the national interest.
He also called on the federal government to urgently address the serious shortcomings of the newly commissioned international terminal at MMIA so as to put the terminal to use.
He said It will be a major disservice of the administration should the terminal turn out to be a white elephant, adding that this must be avoided at all cost.
NUATE President pointed out that as the twin big issues of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment and Conditions of Service for the aviation Agencies are currently raging, the union stand firmly by the decision of workers not to accept continuing shifting of the goal post by government agencies on these issues.
He added that this week has been set out for major decisions and subsequent decisive actions that will bring these issues to a foreclosure.
He said the union is unsatisfied with ongoing discussions around the big question of airports concession.
The union leader stated that: “We are unclear as to government’s actual response the demands of aviation unions on labour issues and many lapses in the concession program. In the coming weeks, important decisions will be made to chart a clear path towards ameliorating already stated demands of workers”.
Nnabue observed that: “As this is the season of national politicking, I want to urge all workers not to slack or be complacent. To do so will attract a heavy price of allowing those with less stake enthrone governments at all levels which may be anti-workers. For this reason, I seriously charge you all to take advantage of ongoing voters’ registration to ensure each of you is armed with your voters’ card, ready to perform your civic responsibility of voting at all the forthcoming elections”.
NUATE President expressed frustration at the dilly-dallying attitude of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE in attending to the negotiated redundancy benefits of ex-staff of Skyway Aviation Handling Company, SAHCO PLC.
He said the matter has been pending since 2009.
Nnabue assured the affected ex-workers that the unions have gone so far and cannot retreat on the matter at this point.
He said NUATE is at the verge of final solution, failing which they shall take decisive actions towards seeking justice for the victims.
In his words: “Special mention must be made of the wicked regime in Caverton Helicopters. It is very apparent the owner and his son managing director, MD have chosen to enrich themselves by the blood of the employees of the airline. Salaries and other entitlements of workers are denied at will. Workers who are forced out of the company never receive their benefits as per Conditions of Service. All agreements entered into with our Union, and with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) under the mediation of the Ministry of Labour have all been kept in the breach. The owner and his son MD are clearly unfit, or too wicked, to have human beings work for them. I use this opportunity to charge all aviation workers to prepare for a mother strike action against Caverton Helicopters at a date to be shortly announced”.
Comrade Nnabue stated that the union is presently battling the vexed issue of back catering by some foreign airlines.
“We are receiving the ears of NCAA on the matter, the reason we tarried on it in the last one month or so. We are definitely committed to seeing an end to the unwelcome act in the interest of local in-flight catering services companies,” he said.
He enjoined the union leaders at all levels to shun rumour mongering and eschew unnecessary divisive tendencies by ensuring that they receive information from only authorized or verifiable sources before dissemination or acting upon.
Nnabue maintained that this will stand their union in good stead and prevent undue ill will and recrimination.
