N45bn unpaid pension: Unions relax aviation shutdown ultimatum
Labour unions in the aviation industry have soft-pedaled on their plan to shut down the industry following the delay in the payment of N45 billion pension of former Nigerian Airways workers.
This followed last week’s engagement with the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, during the stakeholders’ meeting convened by the latter in Abuja.
The General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Olayinka Abioye, told our correspondent yesterday that the workers had secured reasonable commitment from the Federal Government.
The aviation unions comprising NUATE, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) had in a joint petition to the Minister dated March 19 given the government a 14-day ultimatum to pay the pension or they would shut down the airspace. However Sirika, appealing to the workers during the stakeholders meeting, said, “You don’t need to close the airspace because it can cause serious economic damage to the country and also cause serious security risk.”
Speaking with Daily Trust, Abioye said, “After the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum, the law provides additional seven days and the final one; three days. We have not exhausted these ones. However you know we were at the stakeholders’ meeting last week and we have extracted a commitment from the Minister of State for Aviation to the effect that the government has been able to secure N45 billion for Nigerian Airways and before that money is released, certain processes have to take place in the National Assembly.
“We understood now that the House of Representatives has completed its part of the bargaining. It is only the Senate that is being awaited. The Senate has also assured us that they will deal with the matter immediately they come back from recess after the Easter.”