‘Let strikes be the last resort’ — Allen Onyema speaks on aviation workers’ agitation

Allen Onyema, chief executive officer (CEO) of Air Peace, says aviation union workers should see strikes as the last resort to getting demands met.

On Monday, Onyema spoke on the rising spate of strikes by workers in the country’s aviation sector, on the Morning Show of Arise television.

The aviation mogul, speaking on how the industrial actions affect the sector, said airlines suffer losses when such strikes take place.

“Whenever these strikes erupt in the aviation industry, it is the airlines that suffer most, together with the flying public,” he said.

“The loss of revenue and the cost associated with the strikes are enormous. Airline operators in Nigeria lost several billions of naira within those two days of disruptive activities and no one is going to give that back to us.

“The insurance on our planes is static. Whether you fly, or we don’t fly, those aeroplanes have been insured. Salaries are to be paid and monies owed to fuel vendors, they must be paid.

“So, each time you call for a strike in the aviation sector, it is very disruptive and the consequences are very, very high.

“I have to say this, the aviation sector is tied to the security of the country, and anything to do with national security is taken very seriously.”

Onyema said strikes should not be considered if parties involved are open to dialogue.

He also said the demands of the unions should be taken seriously by the government.

“Let strike be the last resort. As a non-violence practitioner, and as long as the other party is open to discussion, you must continue to avail yourself of that opportunity to continue discussing,” the businessman added.

“It is only employed in a non-violence parlance when the other party refuses to discuss. But as long as your party is ready to discuss, there shouldn’t be direct action. However, complaints should be looked into.”

Last week, aviation workers went on a two-day warning strike over some unmet demands. The strike ended last Tuesday.

The unions had raised concerns about the non-implementation of the national minimum wage consequential adjustments and arrears for workers of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency since 2019.

They also rejected the planned demolition of aviation agencies buildings in Lagos to pave way for an airport city project initiated by Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation.

In order to jolt the authorities, the unions later issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government after the warning strike.

They threatened to shutdown Nigeria’s airspace, if the federal government fails to grant their requests by Wednesday, April 26, 2023, when the ultimatum elapses.