Air traffic engineers to join aviation unions’ strike over ‘poor welfare’

The National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) has directed its members to join the two-day warning strike declared by aviation unions.

On Saturday, three labour unions in the aviation sector had said they would embark on a two-day warning strike from Monday.

The unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

The groups are protesting unresolved issues relating to alleged poor conditions of service and the minimum wage as negotiated with the National Salaries, Incomes And Wages Commission (NSIWC).

In a statement dated May 6 and co-signed by Ishaya Dung and Ishaya Akaaba, president and general secretary of NAAE, respectively, the association said its members are expected to join in the strike.

“Following the special bulletin released earlier today by the leadership of the unions in the aviation industry to the staff of NAMA, NIMET, and NCAT nationwide, all NAAE chapters are hereby alerted for compliance,” the statement reads.

“The unresolved demands are: the conditions of service as negotiated with agencies for upwards of seven (7) has remained with the NSIWC unimplemented; minimum wage consequential adjustment has also remained unimplemented.

“All NAAE chapters are hereby directed to support the mother unions for an effective warning strike on the 9th and 10th May, 2022.”

In February, the unions had notified airlines and the general public of withdrawal of air travel services in protest against poor welfare and unimplemented agreements.

Following intervention by the federal government, the industrial action was suspended.

Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, airline operators had suspended plans to shut down flight operations over high cost of aviation fuel.