There was traffic gridlock yesterday on the connecting road between the domestic and international terminals of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMMIA), Lagos when labour unions blocked the link road as they clashed with men of Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
The police officers were alleged to have intervened in the attempt of the unions to picket Caverton Helicopters over issues relating with staff welfare but the roadblock subjected airport users and air travellers to gruesome gridlock that led to some passengers missing their flight.
Eyewitness account alleged that about 14 members of the protesting unions were whisked away by officials of RRS who insisted that their picketing was illegal, while some of them were allegedly hospitalised thereafter as a result of the various injuries sustained from the brutality.
One of the union leaders who identified himself as Paul Igene, alleged that the union members were assaulted because Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was due to fly with one of the helicopters of the company yesterday.
He alleged that when its members queried the brutality meted out to its members from the RRS officials, they claimed that it was order from above.
Igene said that the three unions; Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) had been in discussion with the management of Caverton on terminal benefits, redundancy payment and other welfare issues in the past one year, but the management had been dillydallying on the issue.
He explained that after faltering for almost a year, the management of the helicopter company finally agreed to ensure rightful payment to the workers, which elapsed on March 31, 2019, but management again failed to fulfil its promise to the workers.
He alleged that during the crisis, the vehicles of the unions were towed away and damaged in the process, noting that the unions would kick against such attack on its members and leaderships by the company.
But an official of Caverton who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that the unions are not really fighting for the welfare of the workers of the company because if they really care for the workers they should have allowed the company to carry on its activities “generate revenue and take care of its staff. We see this as regular blackmail by the unions but we won’t talk because we don’t want to incur their wrath. Companies who employed and are paying their workers should be encouraged and not frustrated.”
