The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the sack of 100 Pilots by Air Peace, 69 Pilots by Bristow Helicopters and National Union of Air Transport Employees union executives working with Turkish Airlines.
In a press statement signed by the NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, the congress described the sack of Air Turkish, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters workers as “highly insensitive, callous, and unjust.”
Wabba stated that the workers should not be penalised for participating in union activities.
He said, “The unilateral sack of executive members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees working with Turkish Airline is particularly distressing.
“These workers were sacked for fighting for the rights of Nigerian workers in Turkish Air.
“This is very reprehensible. We wish to remind Turkish Air that unionised workers cannot be punished or sacked for participating in trade union activities.
“This action is aimed at frustrating unionisation in Turkish Air and to enslave Nigerians working with Turkish Air.”
Wabba asked the management of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters to reinstate all redundant workers within two weeks.
Failure to do so would be met with a mass action form the entirety of Nigeria’s workforce, he vowed.
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He said, “We call on the management of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters to reinstate all the sacked workers within two weeks.”
“As agreed between labour and employes’ association, social dialogue should be used to resolve industrial concerns instead of the current resort to unilateralism.
“We will not hesitate to mobilize the weight of the entire Nigerian workforce to the premises of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters if our demands are not met.”
Economic downturn occasioned by COVID-19 lockdowns has hit the aviation section hard.
Less than a week after over 70 pilots were sacked form Air Peace, Bristow Helicopters declared over 100 pilots and engineers redundant.
