Staff of Arik Air on Thursday kicked against the picketing of the airline’s operations, saying that if the unions really care about the airline, they should seek for its survival first because obstructing its operation in this precarious state is to exacerbate its situation.
In keeping with their earlier plan, aviation unions comprising of United Labour Congress (ULC), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) on Thursday have picketed the operations of Arik Air and grounded the airline’s operations.
The unions accessed the airline’s premises as early as 4:00 am and barricaded the gates despite heavy police presence, pitching their reason for disrupting the airline’s operation to the failure of its management to re-instate sacked union leaders and several other issues in the airline.
The General Secretary of NUATE, Mr. Olayinka Abioye accused the new management of intolerance to unionism in the airline.
He alleged that the new management through a circular recently warned the workers not to join the unions in the industry and had refused to address all the pending issues as they affected workers in the airline.
Among the issues are; review of conditions of service, remittance of necessary unions deductions to their respective unions and the non-re-instatement of sacked union leaders in the airline.
But THISDAY learnt that the union members were resisted by the workers of the airline who accused the unions of being insensitive to the plight of the airline, recalling that in December at the peak of operations they disrupted the airline, forcing it to cancel over 100 flights and losing over 800 million.
Now that the airline is in a precarious state they came again to further worsen the situation for Nigeria’s biggest carrier.
Since Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) took over Arik Air, the airline has cut down its flights to 30 percent and the management has been able to pay one month out of the two months’ salary the former management of the airline owed staff. Also, many of the airline’s 28 aircraft are parked, only five are still operating, ,but the day AMCON took over the operations of the airline, it operated about 70 flights but now it operates about 18 flights a day.
In an online statement released by the Social Media Coordinator of the airline, Kayode Badmus, Arik Staff distanced themselves from the disruption.
He stated that no staff of Arik was in support of the action which he described as unnecessary.
In reaction to the picketing of the airline, Arik Air management threatened legal action against the unions.
“It has come to the attention of the Arik management, (under Receivership), that the Lagos State branch of National Union of Air Transport Employees
(NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilot and Engineers (NAAPE) has directed their members to picket Arik airline.
“We hasten to say that the motive of this picketing is unclear to management and their action is therefore illegal. It is a well-known fact that Arik is under Receivership following various challenges experienced over the last few years. The Management of the airline advises the unions to steer clear from undermining the operations of Arik Air. Management would take every legal measure at its disposal to stop any illegal interference with its operations,” the airline said in a statement signed by its media consultant, Simon Tumba.
