Arik Air Releases Statement following Disruption of its Operations by Protesting Staff
Following the disruption of its operations by a group of
people under the aegis of United Labour Congress (ULC) over unpaid salaries, the management of Arik Air has released a statement. The Airline claimed that “the aviation unions under
the aegis of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) , National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Traffic Senior Staff Association of Nigeria
(ATSSAN) are protesting the non-unionisation of Arik Air staff who are not members of any of these
protesting unions.” The statement added that the Airline had scheduled a
meeting for Wednesday, but the protesters did not
wait.“ Arik Air expresses its dismay and disappointment that a group of aviation unions have ambushed
and disrupted the operations of the airline from
early hours of Tuesday, December 20, 2016 by
occupying its head office premises and preventing
staff from gaining access to their workplace. The representatives of the protesting unions also
prevented the staff of the airline from gaining
access to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and
the Murtala Muhammed International Airport,
disabling the checking-in of passengers for both
domestic and international flights. Access to the airport terminals is fundamental to the airline’s
operations for movement of its personnel to ready
and dispatch our aircraft for various flights. The aviation unions under the aegis of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers
(NAAPE) , National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Traffic Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) are protesting the non-unionisation of Arik Air staff
who are not members of any of these protesting
unions. The union leadership had earlier written a letter to
the management of Arik Air on their grievances
and a meeting had been scheduled between the
two parties for Wednesday, December 21, 2016.
The unions however did not wait for the scheduled
meeting or the outcome of the meeting, before embarking on such disruptive and strong-arm
tactics against the airline. The unions have demonstrated total disregard for
the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria by
interfering in the operations of the airline and
preventing airline staff from carrying on with their
duties of handling the passengers booked for
today’s flights. The decision not to join the aviation unions is that
of the generality of Arik Air and the management
of the airline is not involved in any manner and
neither can it influence such individual decisions in
any form since Unionism is a free will and not a
matter of compulsion. Arik Air is appealing to all the Security Agencies,
the Minister of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) , Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) , Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and all the other stakeholders in the industry to prevail
on these aviation unions to allow for operations to
commence immediately since this unjustifiable
disruption by the unions has already
inconvenienced the travel plans of thousands of
passengers today. Arik Air sincerely apologise to its esteemed
passengers for any inconvenience experienced
due to this unwarranted disruption and unlawful
action by the unions.
people under the aegis of United Labour Congress (ULC) over unpaid salaries, the management of Arik Air has released a statement. The Airline claimed that “the aviation unions under
the aegis of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) , National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Traffic Senior Staff Association of Nigeria
(ATSSAN) are protesting the non-unionisation of Arik Air staff who are not members of any of these
protesting unions.” The statement added that the Airline had scheduled a
meeting for Wednesday, but the protesters did not
wait.“ Arik Air expresses its dismay and disappointment that a group of aviation unions have ambushed
and disrupted the operations of the airline from
early hours of Tuesday, December 20, 2016 by
occupying its head office premises and preventing
staff from gaining access to their workplace. The representatives of the protesting unions also
prevented the staff of the airline from gaining
access to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and
the Murtala Muhammed International Airport,
disabling the checking-in of passengers for both
domestic and international flights. Access to the airport terminals is fundamental to the airline’s
operations for movement of its personnel to ready
and dispatch our aircraft for various flights. The aviation unions under the aegis of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers
(NAAPE) , National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Traffic Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) are protesting the non-unionisation of Arik Air staff
who are not members of any of these protesting
unions. The union leadership had earlier written a letter to
the management of Arik Air on their grievances
and a meeting had been scheduled between the
two parties for Wednesday, December 21, 2016.
The unions however did not wait for the scheduled
meeting or the outcome of the meeting, before embarking on such disruptive and strong-arm
tactics against the airline. The unions have demonstrated total disregard for
the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria by
interfering in the operations of the airline and
preventing airline staff from carrying on with their
duties of handling the passengers booked for
today’s flights. The decision not to join the aviation unions is that
of the generality of Arik Air and the management
of the airline is not involved in any manner and
neither can it influence such individual decisions in
any form since Unionism is a free will and not a
matter of compulsion. Arik Air is appealing to all the Security Agencies,
the Minister of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) , Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) , Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and all the other stakeholders in the industry to prevail
on these aviation unions to allow for operations to
commence immediately since this unjustifiable
disruption by the unions has already
inconvenienced the travel plans of thousands of
passengers today. Arik Air sincerely apologise to its esteemed
passengers for any inconvenience experienced
due to this unwarranted disruption and unlawful
action by the unions.
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