New labour movement, ULC to picket Arik Air

The newly inaugurated United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) has said it will picket Arik Air on Tuesday following alleged failure by the company to meet workers’ demand.

Speaking at the inauguration of the ULC, its National President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, stated that “I want to assure you all that we are going to work together. We will start mightily after today. By Tuesday, Arik Air will be shut. All of you here present, we need your cooperation. By Tuesday, in collaboration with our affiliates that gave Arik Air an ultimatum which expires on Tuesday, we will solidarize with them and together shut down Arik Air.

“For almost 10 years, Arik has refused our members to unionise. For several months, Arik Air has not paid salaries. Their pilots are our affiliates and this is what they have at hand and planned to do. This will work effectively when the NUEE members shut down power supply to all airports in Nigeria while NUPENG stops fuel supply to airlines.”

Recently, Arik Air chairman, Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, reportedly sacked four staff members of the airline. Their alleged offense was that they engaged in union activities within the industry.

One of the unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), has called for the immediate re-instatement of its chairman in Arik, John Richard, or the airline risks industrial unrest.

The three leading unions in Nigeria’s aviation industry, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Air Traffic Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and NUATE, had inaugurated their executive members in Arik in September this year following an agreement reached with the airline in July 2014.

But three weeks after inaugurating the executives in the airline four of the officials were reputedly sacked. Three of those sacked were from NAAPE, along with John Richard of NUATE.

The dismissal was said to have been issued by Arik via a letter of dismissal issued to the officials, dated September 30, 2016, which said the airline company no longer needed the services of the union leaders.

To this end, Ajaero said ULC would partner other trade unions in the aviation sector to shut down Arik Air until their demand is met.