Unions ground Arik’s operations over 7-month indebtedness to workers

The United Labour Congress (ULC) and the Nigeria Pilots and Engineers union on Tuesday shut the offices of Arik Airlines, due to its inability to pay workers for seven months.

The airline has been having challenges with its operations as a result of scarcity of aviation fuel.

Tokunbo Korodo, acting chairman of ULC, told NAN that the union could no longer tolerate the inhumane treatment of Arik management to workers.

Korodo said apart from owing workers for seven months, the airline was not remitting the taxes of workers to relevant bodies.

The unionist said that five executive members of the ULC working in Arik had been sacked.

“We have shut down Arik Airlines operations, due to non-payment of seven months salary and non-remittance of workers’ taxes to relevant agencies,” he said.

“The office will remain shut until the end of the year, unless the management reaches a compromise with our union on the anti-labour issues.

“We cannot continue to watch Arik Airlines’ management maltreating our members. Enough is enough.

“It is a pity that many intending passengers are stranded because of our action but we have appealed to the management to look into our demand, to no avail.”

Korodo, who is also the south-west chairman of NUPENG, said the union had directed tanker drivers to stop supply of aviation fuel to the airline until it resolves the issues.

He said the action was not limited to Arik’s Lagos office, explaining that it was a nationwide clampdown.