•BASL faults picketing

Domestic carriers are counting their losses over inability to carry out flights from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Ikeja, Lagos.

Due to the early morning protest, only three airlines:  Ibom Airlines, United Airlines and Valujet Airlines, have been able to operate single flights out of the terminal.

Stranded passengers who could not gain entrance into MMA2 rushed to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to purchase tickets to process their flight.

Worried over the development, one of the affected carriers – Ibom Air called on the feuding parties to seek amicable resolution of the crisis.

In a statement Ibom Air management lamented: “This is to bring to the attention of our esteemed passengers and the public that our operating terminal out of Lagos, the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2, operated by Bicourtney Aviation Services Limited has been completely closed off to workers and passengers alike by the Labour Union, very early this morning.

“Efforts are currently being made to resolve the situation; however, please note that this action will greatly impact our flights scheduled in and out of Lagos today.

“We greatly regret the impact of this unexpected action on your day’s plans as we urge you to kindly stay close to all our communication channels for subsequent updates.

“As we speak, no other flight has been able to operate from the terminal as the protesters are preventing intending passengers from gaining access into the terminal,” said.

Aviation unions are accusing the terminal operator, Bi- Courteney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) management of terminating the employment of the 37 workers without recourse to due process.

At a news conference in Lagos, the leadership of the unions said the 37 sacked workers, who are predominately union and exco members, were initially placed on a compulsory 10-day leave, adding that it was when the union responded with a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw the forced leave and settle the exit pays, that BASL terminated their appointments via the email.

Deputy Secretary General, Air Transport Services senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Frances Akinjole, said this was not the first time the management of BASL had taken such a step in laying off workers after a series of intimidation.

According to him, since the signing of the staff Conditions of Service (CoS) for members on June 16th, 2021, after prolonged negotiation with management of BASL, their members have been having contending with threats, dismissals and intimidation.

“A situation occurred sometime in the year 2018 when some set of workers in Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) were sacked for expressing their constitutional right of becoming members of a trade union. Series of intimidation of union members continued in the company”.

Also, the Deputy National President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Emmanuel Jaja, said despite a series of meetings held with the management of the terminal, it was discovered that BASL management had not been sincere in adhering to the agreements reached.

“ATSSSAN is not against any employer in doing whatever they want to do but the issue is, you want to downsize, right size, redundancy but because of the agreement we have courtesy demand that you should call us, let us sit down, we cannot say no, the issue is that you should go back and follow the due process”.

Leaders of other aviation unions present at the news conference, including National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), said they were awaiting the management of the BASL to hold talks with them on the matter before deciding on what their next step would be.

But, in its reaction to the development, BASL described the protest as illegal, while insisting that the sack of the affected staff was done in accordance with the law.

In a memo addressed to all staff, dated October 31, and titled, ‘Threat by the Union to Picket the Airport from 1st November, 2022,’ BASL management warned staff against taking part in an unlawful protest.

The memo is also copied key stakeholders, including Airline Operators of Nigeria; Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command; all airlines operating from the terminal; Director of SSS, Lagos State; Director General, NCAA and Managing Director, FAAN.

The memo, signed by Head, Corporate Communications, Oluwatosin Onalaja, read: “Dear valued members of staff, Management has just received a letter from Airport Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) calling its members working at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) not to work from 1st November, 2022. The reason given is that the appointments of certain members of staff were terminated.

“We wish to state categorically that we have complied with all laws on the disengagement of staff. The insistence of the union that we should operate the new conditions of service which was signed in June, 2021 and by the agreement, the severance pay will be operational at least five years from the date of the signing as that will be the date the first payment will be due is unlawful and illegal as there is no provision in the agreement that the agreement shall operate retrospectively.

“We appreciate that under the law, unions cannot insist on going on strike for unlawful causes. We appeal to all members of staff that they should do their jobs normally as provided by their contracts of employment.

“We also state that participating in the strike that is for an unlawful purpose is against the laws of Nigeria and exposes every participant to a charge of disturbing or interfering with the lawful business of the company.

“We must re-iterate that throughout the negotiations which have gone on for a while the unions insisted on following the letters of the agreement. We are thus surprised that they are now seeking to refine some of the content of an agreement fully signed.”