Air passengers across Nigeria who were scheduled to board Arik Air on Monday were stranded as aviation unions embarked on strike, grounding operations of the airline.
The airline’s ticket counters at the domestic wings of the General Aviation Terminals One and Two, Lagos, were shut to customers.
Staff of the airline and executives of NUATE and ATSSSAN protested in front of the GAT One terminal and later proceeded to the headquarters of the airline where they blocked the entrance gate.
The action led to gridlock on the road leading in and out of the airport.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) had On Friday directed all its staff in Arik Air (apart from pilots and engineers) to withdraw all services with effect from 00hrs on September 14, 2020.
Read also: Start concessioning with underutilised airports, TUC tells government
In a letter signed by Ocheme Aba, NUATE’s general secretary, and Frances Akinjole, ATSSSAN deputy general secretary, titled ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Service’ and addressed to all Arik staff, said the management of Arik Air “took advantage of our peaceable disposition to continually frustrate our efforts to resolve the Conditions of Service negotiations as well as our demand for just and fair treatment for the workers during the COVID-19 period”.
“In response, wherefore, our Unions have no choice than to reinstate the notice of withdrawal of services.
“Accordingly, all Arik Air workers (other than pilots and engineers) are hereby directed to withdraw all services with effect from 00hrs on 14th September, 2020 until the time issues stated above are satisfactorily resolved,” the letter said.
Aba, NUATE’s secretary-general, said on Monday that the staff were protesting the ill-treatment of their members during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Management of Arik air in a circular informed the staff that only 20 percent would be needed during the lockdown with salary payments of 20 percent to those who would be at home and 50 percent to those on duty unfortunately till date they were yet to be paid,” he said.
The condition of service for staff has been a lingering issue with the Arik Air management.
“Workers have no conditions of service at all not, even a review,” Aba said.
Arik Air management, in a letter over the weekend addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment and copied to the Ministry of Aviation as well as the Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), had called for quick intervention to avoid a shutdown of its operations.
