· Says It’s Highly Insensitive, Callous, Unjust
· Gives 2 Weeks to Reverse Sack or Face Workers’ Rage
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday condemned and rejected the recent sack of 100 pilots by Air Peace, 69 pilots by Bristow Helicopters and other aviation workers who are members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) working with Turkish Air.
NLC, in a press statement signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the sack of these categories of workers by the airlines “is very traumatic for workers who are still reeling from psychological and socio-economic difficulties imposed by the recent lockdown measures and are just savoring the joy of being able to work again to be slammed with sack letters.”
Describing the sack of the workers as “highly insensitive, callous, and unjust,” Comrade Wabba said the unilateral sack of executive members of NUATE who are employees of Turkish Air is particularly distressing. “These workers were sacked for fighting for the rights of Nigerian workers in Turkish Air. This is very reprehensible. We wish to remind Turkish Air that unionized workers cannot be punished or sacked for participating in trade union activities. This action is aimed at frustrating unionization in Turkish Air and to enslave Nigerians working with Turkish Air. The anti-labour practices in Turkish Air constitute fundamental infractions on our Constitution and labour laws and a gross disrespect to Nigeria,” Comrade Wabba stressed.
He gave the management of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters to reinstate all the sacked workers within two weeks or face “the weight of the entire Nigerian workforce to the premises of Turkish Air, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters if our demands are not met.”
Comrade Wabba said the action of the airlines in sacking the workers was a violation of the agreement between organised labour and Employers’ Association to use social dialogue to resolve industrial concerns arising from Covid-19 instead of the current resort to unilateralism.
Stating that section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of association including the right to join and participate in the activities of trade unions and section 12 sub-section 14 of the Trade Unions (Amendment) Act 2005 which provides for voluntary membership of trade unions and stipulates that no worker should be victimised for joining a trade union or participating in the activities of a trade union, the NLC posited that the sack of officials of NUATE who work with Turkish Air violates their human and trade union rights.
“On the case of the sacked pilots and other categories of workers by Air Peace, we state that it is unfortunate that the management of Air Peace has fully exploited the atmosphere of industrial tyranny in Air Peace which forbids workers from joining trade unions to strike this fatal blow on the livelihood and career of the sacked workers,” Comrade Wabba said, while asserting that the NLC will not fold its arms, even in the absence of unions in Air Peace, and watch while the airline ruthlessly violate rights of workers. “We will fight for the reinstatement of the sacked workers and for workers’ unionization in Air Peace. Enough is Enough.” He said.
Wabba further posited: “We deplore the offering of poor workers as the sacrificial lambs by unscrupulous business owners. During the good times, workers were the hands that created the profit and wealth. During bad times, we expect businesses to repay the faith and commitment of the workforce. As was done to the financial sector, we urge government to immediately release palliative support to the aviation industry.
“Clearly, we have a bumpy road ahead of us as the nation and the world recovers from the fallout of Covid-19. Workers are ready to play their part towards the restoration of full productivity and industrial normalcy but that can only be achieved in an atmosphere of mutual respect and sensitivity. Nothing else would suffice.
“We also call on all workers to understand that these are dreary times. Workers must take the issue of the defense of their rights seriously. Workers should insist on their rights to join unions. This is a safety valve. No employer is allowed by our laws to intimidate workers out of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to join trade unions.”
