NLC and TUC strike brings Nigerian airports to a standstill
Flight activities have been freezed due to the indefinite nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the new minimum wage saga. Unions in the aviation industry in compliance with the directive by the leadership of the NLC and TUC at midnight today, instructed its members to withdraw their services.
All airports in the country are currently under lock halting flights and other activities within the environment.
At the local airport terminals in Lagos, passengers, airline staff and other workers are stranded as they cannot gain access into the terminal as the gates both entry and exits are closed.
At the General Aviation Terminal One, managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN, is closed while at the Terminal Two managed by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, BASL, the unions erected a canopy at the entry gate with loud music blasting from two sound speakers.
Members of the unions are seen dancing to the music and singing solidarity songs expressing their displeasure over the failure of the Federal government to accede to their demands on the minimum wage.
All Aviation offices are also locked and security officials mostly police officers are patrolling the environment to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Regarding international flights, in a statement of Notice of Indefinite Strike signed by the various scribes of the union, Comrade Ochema Aba, General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); Comrade AbdulRazaq Seidu, General Secretary of Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP); Deputy General Secretary, Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Frances Akinjole and General Secretary, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Comrade Olayinka Abioye, members were urged, to provide services till Tuesday.
“Being not oblivious of the fact that many international flights to Nigeria are already airborne, the strike action will commence at international terminals on Tuesday 4th of June, 2024″.
Domestic operators have started communicating with their passengers, informing them of the current development and urging them to follow through on their social media platforms on when flights will be back to normal.
