Aviation unions tackle NAMA over plan to pay half salary in June

Aviation unions have declared war on the Management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) following what they called an attempt by the government agency to pay incomplete salaries to staff for June 2020.

The unions in a letter addressed to the Managing Director of NAMA, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, and signed by the General Secretaries of the respective unions titled: ‘Incomplete Staff Salary: A Recipe for Avoidable Crisis’, the unions strongly advised against the attempt, warning that the consequences if the attempt was executed may be more damaging than what may have been envisaged.

The unions are National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

The letter was signed by Deputy General Secretary ATSSSAN, Comrade Frances Akinjole, General Secretary NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba; General Secretary ANAP, Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu and Ag. General Secretary, AUPCTRE, Comrade Musa Ukpo.

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The letter partly read: “We have again been reliably informed that NAMA management is contemplating payment of incomplete salaries to staff of the agency for the month of June this year. If this is true, it is our Unions’ opinion that the intended action would amount to gross embarrassment to our aviation industry, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the entire people of this great country.”

The unions, therefore, demanded that full salaries and other entitlements as due to their members be paid on or before the 29th day of June 2020, warning that failure of this demand to be met may attract any action deemed necessary to protect the dignity of labour of their members without further warning from the unions.

Going forward, the unions, however, suggested that the management be properly guided on how to address issues that concern salaries of their members in the agency.

According to the unions: “While we sincerely concede to the effectiveness of management continuous rapport with our in-house branches executives in NAMA for effective management of workers’ welfare and sustenance of industrial harmony, the correct position is that it is wrong for Management to even discuss any alteration to our members’ salaries without recourse to the national body.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE