Aviation anions cry out for relief as industry struggles to survive
In a warning, the aviation unions have sounded the alarm that the industry is on the verge of collapse, threatening the safety and security of millions of passengers and crew members.
The unions in a letter addressed to the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development are demanding an immediate exemption from the 50% deductions, or they will be forced to call out their members in protest.
The unions, representing workers from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), allege that the agencies are on the brink of incapacitation due to the crippling 30% deduction.
The Scribes of the National Union of Air Transport Employees NUATE, Air Transport Services Senior staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, National Association of Aircraft Pilots, Engineers, NAAPE, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, ANAP and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees, AUPCTRE, pointed out that the agencies are already struggling to maintain their infrastructure, provide training, and implement the Minimum Wage Act. The 50% deduction, they claim, is a recipe for disaster.
According to them, they have been crying out to the Presidency for relief, but so far, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. With time running out, they are left with no choice but to take drastic action.
One of the scribes, Comrade Olayinka Abioye in an interview said, “We are at a critical juncture, the agencies are struggling to provide critical safety and security services, and if something is not done, we will be forced to take drastic action.”
“This is not just about the workers; it’s about the entire industry, If we don’t get an exemption, we will be forced to shut down, and the consequences will be catastrophic.”
“We will not stand idly by while our members are blamed for the inevitable collapse of the industry, we will mobilize our members to take action, and we will not back down until our demands are met”, said Comrade Abioye.
