Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned and rejected the recent sack of 100 Pilots by Air Peace, 69 Pilots by Bristow Helicopters and the executive members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) working with Turkish Air.
The NLC said this on Friday through a press statement by signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Wabba stressed that the actions are “very traumatic for workers who are still reeling from psychological and socio-economic difficulties imposed by the recent lockdown measures”.
He said Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters are highly insensitive, callous, and unjust to have sacked workers who were finally happy to be able to work again after the negative economic effect of the pandemic.
He said: “The unilateral sack of executive members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) working with Turkish Airline is particularly distressing. These workers were sacked for fighting for the rights of Nigerian workers in Turkish Air. This is very reprehensible. We wish to remind Turkish Air that unionized workers cannot be punished or sacked for participating in trade union activities.
“This action is aimed at frustrating unionization in Turkish Air and to enslave Nigerians working with Turkish Air. The anti-labour practices in Turkish Air constitute fundamental infractions on our Constitution and labour laws and a gross disrespect to Nigeria. Section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of association including the right to join and participate in the activities of trade unions.
“Furthermore Section 12 sub section 14 of Nigeria’s Trade Union (Amendment) Act 2005 provides for voluntary membership of trade unions and stipulates that no worker should be victimized for joining a trade union or participating in the activities of a trade union. We posit that the sack of NUATE executives working with Turkish Air violates their human and trade union rights.
“On the case of the sacked pilots and other categories of workers by Air Peace, we state that it is unfortunate that the management of Air Peace has fully exploited the atmosphere of industrial tyranny in Air Peace which forbids workers from joining trade unions to strike this fatal blow on the livelihood and career of the sacked workers. The Nigeria Labour Congress warns that the absence of unions in Air Peace will not stop NLC from fighting for the rights of the sacked workers. We will fight for the reinstatement of the sacked workers and for workers’ unionization in Air Peace. Enough is Enough.”
The President went on to say that the NLC deplores the offering of poor workers as the sacrificial lambs. He stressed that during good times, workers hand’s created profit and wealth and therefore clamored that businesses shouls repay the faith and commitment of the workforce. He went further to urge government to immediately release palliative support to the aviation industry.
He went on to urge workers not to allow any employer infringe on their rights. He said: “We also call on all workers to understand that these are dreary times. Workers must take the issue of the defense of their rights seriously. Workers should insist on their rights to join unions. This is a safety valve. No employer is allowed by our laws to intimidate workers out of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to join trade unions.”
Wabba went on to call for the reinstatement of the sacked aviation workers. He said: “We call on the management of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters to reinstate all the sacked workers within two weeks. As agreed between labour and Employers’ Association, social dialogue should be used to resolve industrial concerns instead of the current resort to unilateralism. We will not hesitate to mobilize the weight of the entire Nigerian workforce to the premises of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters if our demands are not met.”