Nigerian govt moves to avert aviation workers’ strike

The Federal Government has pledged to resolve the issue of welfare and unimplemented agreements in order to avert a strike action amongst aviation workers.

This was stated on Monday by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige during a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Aviation and the aviation workers unions in Abuja.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that aviation workers under the auspices of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) threatened a strike action by February 8 over poor welfare amongst other issues.

However, Ngige noted the FG would redress the issue while lauding the unity of the workers.

”I am happy that the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation reported that they met with you, but there are two major areas that they could not reach agreement with you.

Read also: Aviation workers give notice of strike, shut Kaduna airport in protest against El-Rufai

”Therefore, you had to escalate the matter by issuing an ultimatum to close the entire air space. I can see that all of you are here, both the traffic controllers and engineers.

”We thought there may be some openings in the air space, but I can see that all of you are united.

”I can assure you that we are going to reach agreements here and some of the agreements will be reached with the speed of a flash and we will get back to them.

”But that is not the issue now. I know about your complaints and that is why I called all the stakeholders, including the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

”I had discussed most of the issues with your employers, the Minister and the Permanent Secretary and we decided on a line of action. It is that this government, the President in particular, does not believe that we can disengage people.

”The President does not believe a worker is not due his remunerations in terms of salaries and allowances. That is why nobody can complain that we are owing salaries.

”Some allowances that have not been fine-tuned, once fine-tuned, the government will pay because the President was a wage earning person all through his military career.

”That is why he does not deal with anything pertaining to anybody being owed for work done,” Ngige said.

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