A coalition of aviation workers’ unions will hold rallies at airports nationwide to protest anti-labor clauses in the new aviation bills currently awaiting the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari, today.
The unions threatened to proceed with their industrial action in 14 days if their requests for the exit of the bills are not granted.
They also alleged that unknown persons in the sector inserted repressive clauses into new bills governing affairs of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and four other aviation agencies.
The unions decried that the bill is a subtle attempt to restrain the powers of unions and erase unionism in the aviation sector
Adding that “All services which facilitate and maintain the smooth, orderly and safe take-off, flight and landing of aircraft, embarkation and disembarkation and evacuation of passengers and cargo respectively in all aerodromes in Nigeria are hereby designated as essential services under the provisions of Section 11(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).”
“The minister may, by regulations, prohibit all or such class or classes of workers, officers, and other employees or persons, whether corporate or natural, engaged in the provision of services specified in subsection (1) of this section from taking part in a strike or other industrial action.
“The provisions of the Trade Disputes (Essential Services) Act, Cap. T9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 shall apply to service in the agency, facilities managed by the agency, and in the implementation of this bill. There shall be no strikes, lock-outs, pickets, blockades, service disruptions, etc. of any kind within all facilities managed by the agency and where any labor dispute arises, such dispute shall be resolved by the agency.”
However, The Secretary-General of NUATE, Scheme Aba, explained that the clauses imply that the bills grant powers to the minister of aviation to regulate trade unions and workers, in contradiction to the Trade Unions Act, 2004, which grants the minister of labor sole regulatory powers over trade union and industrial relations matters in Nigeria.
He noted that “It is absolutely clear that the contentious clauses smuggled into the aviation agencies’ bills have no moral or legal basis for being there. The lame reference to Section 11(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Public Order and Public Security) is poignantly pretentious.
“Its attempt to enable the minister of aviation to usurp the powers of the r of labor is diabolically disingenuous. And its bold assault on the rights of trade unions and hapless workers renders the intended law a demonstration of an ultimate disservice by public officers. Therefore, the intended laws must be prevented from breathing any air of acceptance.”
The coalition also demanded that the leadership of the Senate and House Committees on Aviation has to right their wrong by withdrawing the bills and expunging the contentious clauses before approval by Mr. President.
Adding that persons behind the clauses must be exposed and punished, adding that obnoxious clauses are in conflict with prevailing national and international law and have no role in the aviation sector.
The coalition includes the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transpo Senior Staff expungingition of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and Amalgamated Unions of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
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