Union directs aviation security to withdraw services from Wednesday over poor welfare

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has directed its members in Aviation Security (AvSec) and logistics sub-sector of the aviation industry in Nigeria, to withdraw their services beginning from Wednesday indefinitely.

It further directed the state councils and branches of NUATE in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu to comply fully with the notice.

This means security services would be withdrawn from Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu international airports.

In a circular letter to all aviation security and logistics employees in Nigeria with title: ‘Notice of withdrawal of service’, and signed by Comrade Ocheme Aba, general secretary of NUATE and copied the director-general, Civil Aviation (DGCA), managing director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), commissioner of police, Airports Command, the airport commandant, director, department of state security (DSS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos Command, the union said that the withdrawal of service is coming after the expiration of an ultimatum on welfare improvement issued to the agencies.

“The union has done everything possible to resolve the lingering crisis of extreme impoverishment of employees of Aviation Security (AvSec) & logistics sub-sector of the aviation industry in Nigeria, but to no avail.

“The managements of all the companies in the business have all failed to secure decent contracts that can avail fair remuneration for their workers. With current salary levels as low as N30,000 a month for graduates, there is no gain saying that AvSec employment in Nigeria is nothing other than a slave labour camp; to call a spade a spade. This situation can no longer be allowed to continue.

“In this regard, and further to our letter of ultimatum dated 26th June, 2023, all workers in all Aviation Logistics companies in Nigeria are hereby directed to totally withdraw services as from August 16, 2023 indefinitely, until our demand for fair remuneration is met.”, the statement reads.

MIKE OCHONMA