All flights have been grounded in Nigeria Monday as unions in the aviation sector commence a two-day warning strike over non-release of their reviewed Condition of Service negotiated with four aviation agencies.
The negotiations were concluded over seven years ago but not fully implemented. The grievance is in addition to a planned demolition of Lagos offices of some agencies.
Members of the unions have blocked entrance to the Murtala Muhammad Airport domestic terminal. The strike is also taking place in all airports across Nigeria, leaving many passengers stranded.
Many of the passengers were seen trekking to the airport as the unions blocked exit to the domestic terminal one and the MMA2.
Last week, the Secretary Generals of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Ocheme Aba, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Frances Akinjole, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), AbdulRasaq Saidu, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Sikiru Wahab and the Deputy General Secretary of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) Umoh Ofonime, signed a notice for the two-day strike, saying they had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika on the same issue since February 7, 2023 to no avail.
The unions warned that failure to meet their demands after the two day warning strike, will be followed by an indefinite strike.
The Unions grouse included Non-implementation of minimum wage consequential adjustments and arrears for the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) since 2019, refusal of the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, (NSIWC) and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, (OHCSF) to release the reviewed Condition of Service of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NiMeT) as negotiated betwee as duly conveyed by the Federal Ministry of Aviation since upwards of nine years.