Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has intervened in a planned strike action by some aviation workers under the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), leading to its suspension on Wednesday, August 16.
NUATE Secretary-General Ocheme Abah disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Ocheme said the NCAA responded to a letter sent by NUATE informing them of intentions to embark on the strike action, asking for a week to address the demands by the workers.
NUATE had called for indefinite strike action by aviation security workers on Tuesday, August 15, over poor wages.
The call for strike action was contained in the letter to the NCAA, which disclosed that the N30,000 monthly remuneration paid to some workers was insufficient given current economic realities.
“The union asserts that despite attempts to negotiate with management across various aviation logistics companies, no meaningful progress has been made to secure fair compensation for workers. The union asserts that despite attempts to negotiate with management across various aviation logistics companies, no meaningful progress has been made to secure fair compensation for workers.
“The management of all the companies in the business have all failed to secure decent contracts that can avail fair remuneration for their workers. With current salary levels as low as N30,000 a month for graduates, there is no gain saying that AVSEC employment in Nigeria is nothing other than a slave labour camp,” the letter partly read.
In April, the NUATE, along with the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) and the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) embarked on a 2-day warning strike which left many air travellers stranded.
The strike was also a result of unfavourable working conditions and non-implementation of minimum wage, among others.
The strike occurred after several warnings by the aviation workers to down work tools if conditions of service were not improved.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.