Three Unions in the Nigerian aviation sector have given a 14 days strike notice to the federal government to pay the N45bn severance package of former workers of the liquidated Nigeria Airways Limited.
The unions are National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, National Union of Air Transport Employees and the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria.
According to the unions, “we will not wait until the entire workers of the former national carrier die before taking steps to ensure that they are paid their benefits,”
In a petition, dated March 19, 2018 and signed by Ocheme Aba for NAAPE, Frances Akinjole for ATSSSAN and Olayinka Abioye for NUATE, which was addressed to the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the unions accused the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, of wilfully delaying the payment of the severance package despite approval by the government.
The ministers of Labour and Employment and Finance were also copied in the petition that was made available to journalists on Sunday.
The unions stated, “It is disheartening that the Minister of Finance has unconsciously and negatively prioritised the President’s directive on this matter. She has equally in a most uncaring manner, refused to heed all entreaties by the hapless ex-workers.
“Not even the cries of the growing list of the avoidable deaths and other afflictions created by their excruciating conditions of existence had pinched the minister’s ear. Our previous letters to the minister have failed to move her just as an earlier letter from the Nigeria Labour Congress on the matter.
“As we can no longer wait for all the ex-staff of the Nigeria Airways to die before their entitlements are paid, we are, therefore, compelled to force Adeosun to come to terms with the reality of the situation. In view of the above, we are sad to inform you that all workers in the aviation sector will commence an indefinite industrial action in 14 days should the ex-Nigeria Airways workers fail to receive their entitlements as approved.”
