Aviation unions protest at Lagos airport
Unions in the aviation industry this morning staged a peaceful protest at the Lagos Airport to calling for the expulsion of some clauses in the civil aviation Act recently passed by the National Assembly.
The protest led to disruption of vehicular movement into the local and international airports coupled with the early morning downpour in Lagos.
Executives of the unions and their members who defied the early morning rain chanted solidarity songs and carried placards with different inscriptions that read: Our strength is in our union, Aviation Ministry should not regulate labour, Our right to protest is covered under ILO Convention, Banning workers from unionism is evil and The workers mouth cannot be gagged by any legislation.
Also entries and exits into the aviation agencies offices where under lock to prevent any staff from gaining access into their offices.
Addressing members of the unions in the various aviation agencies,
Secretaries General of the National Union of Air Transport Employees,
NUATE, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, ANAP, Air
Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN and
the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE say
all they want is for the clauses which forbade them from embarking on
strike is expunged.
According to them, this is a ploy to deny them of their fundamental human rights of freedom of association and the right to speak if certain issues are not in their favour.
Secretary General, NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba said, if their demands are not acceded to, the unions would have no option but to go on a full blown nationwide strike in 14 days.
He said, the unions therefore want those alleged to have smuggled in such clause into the bill exposed and punished as they do not mean well for aviation workers.
They called on President Buhari not to assent to the Aviation bill until those clauses and provision are expunged.
