Aviation Unions on Tuesday shut down the operations of Arik Air, Nigeria’s largest domestic carrier, over nonpayment of workers’ salaries.
The National Executive Councils of National Association of Aircraft Pilot and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) had ordered the strike with effect from 00:00hrs of Tuesday December 20, 2016.
The unions say the joint strike shall continue indefinitely until the following conditions are fully realised.
A statement signed by the General Secretary of NAAPE, Comrade Aba Ocheme, and General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye and Head of Secretariat, ATSSAN Barrister Frances Akinjole had directed their members to embark on the strike.
The unions want the management of Arik Air to allow total unionisation of its employees in compliance with extant labour laws and with respect to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
They are also seeking the recall of all sacked employees, who have been victimised for their roles in the effort to bring about unionisation in Arik Air; payment of salary arrears of seven months with commitment to pay salaries as at when due hence forth and immediate review of all employee remunerations which have remained the same since inception of Arik Air over ten years ago, among others.
Our correspondent reports that as early as 6:00 a.m, members of the unions stormed the gate of Arik Air headquarters preventing people from gaining entrance to the premises.
Also at various Arik counters at the domestic and international wings of Murtala Muhammed International Airport(MMIA) many passengers were stranded as no worker of the airline was on ground to attend to them.
Mr. Segun Tonode whose mother is travelling to Accra Ghana said they have been at the airport since 6:30 a.m as the flight was to take off by 8 a.m.
“They said they are on strike and now we don’t know when we are going to start boarding. No body is attending to us, at least they should have communicated to us ahead”, he said.
The planned action is going to affect smooth take off of over 100 flights operated daily by the airline depending on when the strike is either suspended or called off.
