Pilots, engineers shut down Bristow, Caverton Helicopters
From Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos The seemingly unending frosty relationship between the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) and two helicopters groups, Bristow and Caverton reared its head yesterday when the union shut down the airlines at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos.
Members the union working for Bristow and Caverton Helicopters withdrew their services in protest against poor conditions of service. of
The first port of call for the association which was joined by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was Bristow Head office at the domestic terminal of the airport.
Some of the issues raised by the union at Bristow included the marginalization of pilots and engineers working for them, gross violation of conditions of service, abuse of expatriate quota, forced work without pay and declaration of redundancy without justification.
At Caverton, the union is protesting delay in concluding review of the conditions of service due since 2017.
National President of NAAPE, Comrade Abednego Galadima said the management had allegedly failed to implement previous agreements reached with the union following previous industrial actions.
Daily Trust reports that the picketing of Bristow by the union has become a recurring decimal. Similar exercise was carried out about this time last year before the intervention of aviation authorities as well as the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
Galadima who spoke with newsmen said the shutdown would be indefinite until all issues raised against the management are resolved.
He said, “You all may recall that NAAPE and Bristow have been in a frosty relationship for over four years now. Within this period, not a single issue has been completely resolved.
There was no official reaction from managements of the two airlines as of press time. It was however learnt that Bristow has called the union to a meeting today while Caverton was said to have invited the workers for a dialogue next Wednesday.