Aero Workers Block Gates

Striking workers of Aero Contractors, Nigeria’s second largest airline, stormed the headquarters of the troubled airline on Tuesday, blocking its entrance gates and locking management staff in their offices in another day of protests that have now lasted thirteen days.

Aero Contractors planes remained grounded on Tuesday, a day after the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, warned the airline to re-employ hundreds of dismissed workers or face more protests, and four days after the National Industrial Court declared the sack of workers illegal.

NLC in a letter signed by its acting National Secretary, Emma Ugboaja and titled, “Don’t Provoke Nigerian Workers”, warned that the Nigerian workers would rise against Aero Contractors if their call was not heeded. “We are surprised that despite huge opportunities provided by the existence of vibrant, well informed, mature and responsible trade unions in the aviation sector, the management of Aero Contractors decided to ignore all available industrial relations mechanisms by dismissing over 655 employees of the company and locked out the entire workforce since March 13,” NLC said.

The labour union said such action was totally unacceptable and promised to do “everything possible” to defend the rights of the workers. Officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, began rectifying Aero Contractors on Monday, as the airline prepares to resume flights, but striking workers have vowed to resist any resumption without prior resolution of the crisis.

“Do not provoke us,” said Comrade Benjamin Okewu, President Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN.

“We are law abiding Nigerian citizens but we are wounded lions. We would like to resolve this crisis peacefully or call on NLC and TUC to take charge,” Okewu told police officers who had come to maintain peace and order.

Workers sat in front of Aero gates in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, reading newspapers, dancing, singing and vowing to spend the night there.

“We are ready to die. We want to die for our rights. Some of us have worked for seven years and we are dismissed by the Ibrus just like that without pay,” a worker said as he slept on the road, briefly disrupting vehicular movement.

The Divisional Police Officer of the local airport, Sam Eromosele, called on the workers to go to court and exploit all legal means.

“I am sure justice will be done,” he said.

But the workers refused to leave and continued singing, dancing and calling on Aero to pay them.

They vowed to close the Nigerian airspace if their demands were not heeded.



-- PM News