The operations of Arik Air have been grounded by aviation unions over alleged failure to pay salaries since April.
The unions are also protesting the placement of 90 per cent of the workforce on compulsory leave and other anti-labour practices.
The protesting unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).
Mr Innocent Atasie, Chairman, ATSSSAN, Arik Air Branch told NAN that the workers resolved to shut down Arik operations nationwide when all efforts made to resolve the problem failed.
The unions said the strike would continue indefinitely, until their demands were met by the management.
Their demands included- payment of outstanding salaries arrears, signing of Conditions of Service, remittance of Pension, Tax, and statutory deductions to the appropriate authorities and to resolve other anti-labour issues.
Others were payment of salary arrears of seven months, with a commitment to pay salaries as at when due, henceforth.
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Atasie said that the unions also wanted the immediate review of all employee remunerations which had remained stagnant since the inception of Arik Air, over ten years ago.
He said that the unions decided to shut down all operations nationwide when all efforts by the unions were aborted.
The management of Arik Air had earler asked for the intervention of the Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, over the planned industrial action.
The Chief Executive Officer of Arik, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, made the appeal in a letter to the minister entitled, “Re-Unions in Arik Air threaten to down tools.
At the local terminals in Lagos, Arik Air passengers expressed disappointment over the shut down workout any prior information to them.
Arik Air was taken over by AMCON in February 2017 following huge indebtedness to banks. According to AMCON, Arik was owing as much as N300billion.
