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Yesterday, there was complete chaos at airports nationwide as a group of aviation ground handlers went on strike to protest poor pay. The strike began at midnight.
For 15 hours, workers of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance) refused to show up for duty, causing all customer airlines – both foreign and local – to either be grounded or return to base. This left booked passengers stranded in cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano. The chaos was particularly felt in Lagos, where passengers arrived as early as 5:30 am to find deserted booking counters and no warning of the situation. By 9:00 am, the departure halls of Murtala Muhammed International Airport were packed, forcing officials to close entrance gates to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the terminal. By noon, many travelers were becoming restless due to a lack of explanation about what was happening.
The Guardian learned that beginning at midnight on Monday, workers of the ground handling company went on strike to protest welfare issues. The workers, who are part of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), had previously issued a five-day notice of the strike to the NAHCO management, citing slow progress in negotiations for a salary review. The workers had requested a 100% increase in pay, following a general increase in ground handling charges in the sector. It was learned that the NAHCO management had gone to court to try to stop the industrial action.
On Monday night, employees of the ground handling company launched a strike to voice their discontent with welfare issues. The workers, affiliated with the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), had previously notified the NAHCO management of their intentions to strike, citing a lack of progress in salary review negotiations. They had demanded a 100% pay increase, due to the recent rise in ground handling charges in the industry. The management of NAHCO reportedly sought legal action to prevent the strike.
“All morning flights and subsequent flights have been disrupted – canceled, delayed, and rescheduled. This has cost us over N500 million as we operate over 100 flights daily. Passengers are also attacking our ground staff as they cannot fly,” said the management of NAHCO. They had previously accused the striking workers of breaching a court order and causing economic damage to the air transport sector. Dr. Olusola Obabori, Group Executive Director, expressed regret for the inconvenience and assured me that the dispute would be resolved soon. He stated, “We understand the power of negotiation. The company, which has arguably the best welfare package among the local players in the aviation industry, will do all that is absolutely necessary to make its workforce happy even as it delights its customers.”
Following a meeting at the request of regulatory authorities, the workers and NAHCO management agreed to immediately suspend the strike and return to work. In a statement after the meeting, the parties also agreed that NAHCO management would withdraw the suit it filed at the National Industrial Court (NIC) against the unions; negotiations on staff welfare would resume on Wednesday, January 25, and be concluded within the week; and that no staff would be victimized for participating in the strike action. Obabori expressed appreciation to the company’s clients for their understanding during the strike and to the passengers who were affected by the strike. He emphasized the company’s commitment to providing excellent customer service and delighting its clients and pointed out that both staff and management are key stakeholders in the bigger picture. A director in NAHCO said the company could not be held liable for any claims arising from the disruption, stating that it was a “force majeure” and that similar disruptions occur in other parts of the world.
Source: Guardian News