The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has issued a directive for workers in the Aviation Security (AVSEC) and logistics sub-sector to embark on an immediate strike starting from August 16th, 2023.
The strike action is in protest against the meager monthly pay of N30,000 for AVSEC workers.
NUATE conveyed this decision through a circular, addressing the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Commissioner of Police at Airports Command, the Airport Commandant, the Director of the Department of State Security (DSS) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), and Lagos Command.
The circular, signed by NUATE’s General Secretary, Comrade Ocheme Aba, emphasized the necessity of the strike due to the unresolved issue of low wages for AVSEC employees, most of whom are graduates.
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Aba explained that all efforts to negotiate improved wages for their members in the past had failed and wondered why N30,000 could be sufficient for the personnel in today’s Nigeria.
The circular reads, “As you are all aware, the union has done everything possible to resolve the lingering crisis of extreme impoverishment of employees of Aviation Security (AvSec) & logistics sub-sector of the aviation industry in Nigeria, but to no avail.
“The managements of all the companies in the business have all failed to secure decent contracts that can avail fair remuneration for their workers. With current salary levels as low as N30,000 a month for graduates, there is no gainsaying that AvSec employment in Nigeria is nothing other than a slave labour camp; to call a spade a spade.
“This situation can no longer be allowed to continue. In this regard, and further to our letter of ultimatum dated 26th June, 2023, all workers in all Aviation Logistics companies in Nigeria are hereby directed to totally withdraw services as from August 16, 2023 indefinitely, until our demand for fair remuneration is met.
“Please note that only the National Secretariat of NUATE is authorized to issue any further directives on this matter.
“State Councils and Branches of NUATE in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu are hereby directed to be on hand to assure full compliance with this notice.”