Aviation unions in Nigeria have issued a notice of a warning strike, threatening to ground all activities in the sector for two days if their demands are not met. The strike is scheduled for April 17 and 18, 2023, and will be led by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Nigerian Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Engineers Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employers.
The unions are demanding the implementation of new minimum wage, consequential adjustment with arrears for the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) since 2019, and the release of the reviewed conditions of service for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and NIMET. Despite issuing an ultimatum to the minister of aviation and chief executive officers of the agencies, their demands have not been met.
The ultimatum has expired, and the aviation minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, remains adamant in carrying out his threat to demolish the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), NAMA, NCAA, NCAT, and NIMET in Lagos, despite the unions’ entreaties towards caution. In response, the unions have threatened a warning strike, directing all aviation workers to withdraw all services in the sector on 17th and 18th April 2023.
If the warning strike fails to achieve the desired result, the unions will proceed with an indefinite strike. To ensure their demands are met, copies of the notice of the warning strike have been sent to the Lagos airport police command, all airport commandants, the Department of State Services (DSS), the chief executives of the agencies, and foreign airlines.
The aviation industry in Nigeria is facing a severe crisis, with the unions insisting on the government’s compliance with their demands. If the strike goes ahead, it will disrupt air travel, causing inconvenience to passengers and financial losses to airlines.
The aviation unions in Nigeria have threatened to embark on a two-day strike over the demolition of FAAN, NAMA buildings, and other demands. The strike is scheduled for April 17 and 18, 2023, and will be led by five different unions. The unions are demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage, consequential adjustment with arrears for NIMET since 2019, and the release of reviewed conditions of service. If their demands are not met, the aviation industry in Nigeria may face a prolonged disruption