Workers threaten strike over deductions of aviation agencies’ revenue

Travellers may experience flight disruptions as aviation union workers have threatened to embark on a one-day strike to protest against the federal government’s decision to deduct 50 percent of internally generated revenues (IGR) of agencies in the aviation sector.

In a memo signed by the leadership of five unions, the workers said work activities would be suspended on August 21.

The memo was titled ‘Save Aviation From Collapse – Notice Of Nationwide Protest,’ and dated August 14.

The unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP).

Others are the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

According to the memo, the warning strike would serve as a protest to demand the discontinuation of 50 percent deduction from the IGR of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) through exemption.

“All workers of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMet, NCAT and NSIB, j,oined by solidarity othe f all aviation workers are hereby directed to embark on peaceful protests at all airports nationwide on Wednesday August 21, 2024,” the union said.

“All efforts on our part have failed to impress upon the Federal Government that all the Agencies are cost recovery, and not profit making, organisations.

“As such they cannot survive on half of their incomes under any model of administration, or any other guse whatsoever.

“Information available to us indicates that some important safety critical activities of the Agencies are grinding to a halt under the yoke of the deductions. 

“It has, therefore, become incumbent on us as trade unions and workers in aviation to let the public and the government be aware that we shall bear no responsibility in the certain event that the industry becomes dysfunctional as a result of financial incapacity due to the deductions at source.”

The unions, however, asked that all members comply with the directive while all state councils, branches, and executives were urged to enforce the directive without compromise.

On May 30, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) called for a reversal of the 50 percent deduction in its revenue.

NAMA said it is currently facing significant financial constraints due to the deduction.

Farouk Umar, managing director of NAMA, said the 50 percent revenue deduction was hindering the agency’s ability to maintain and upgrade critical infrastructure.