By Abiose Adelaja Adams

Major workers unions in the aviation industry on Saturday called on the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, to review their entitlement in order to avoid an industrial action.

The Unions, key to the management of traffic in Nigeria’s airspace, had planned to down tools indefinitely from today until an emergency meeting called for the reversal of the action.

The unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, are demanding the implementation of the consolidated salary structure which includes 5-10 per cent increase in basic salary, lump sum payment of leave bonus, as well the payment of arrears.

In March 2014, the minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, chaired a meeting involving the two parties where it was agreed that steps would be taken to improve workers’ welfare, but NAMA breached the resolution.

However, at the end of the emergency meeting held on August 1st and 2nd, the unions re-stated its conditions, which the agency agreed to meet this time.

These include the payment of the arrears of the consolidated salary structure beginning from August 8 to February 2015.

“Subsequent payment of the arrears shall resume in February 2015 and continue on a monthly basis until the arrears are liquated,” a statement issue end of the Saturday said.

The statement was signed signed by the secretaries of the unions as well as NAMA’s head of Human Resources, Uwem Akangson.

Furthermore it reads, “The payment of 2014 productivity allowance shall be completed by February 2015, as well the payment of arrears or severance benefits and the payment of course allowance and other allowances.”