Aviation unions threaten to shut down airspace again

Aviation unions in the country have declared that they will go on strike today if Bi-Courtney Limited begins its planned refurbishment of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) at the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2. Members of these unions had gone on strike on Wednesday, September 23 when Bi-Courtney tried to take over the terminal.

Their actions were reportedly based on the fear that the concessioning of the GAT would lead to the loss of jobs. However, domestic and international flights took off and landed on that day as scheduled. The unions, which include the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (ATSSSAN); Nigerian Union of Air Transport Employees, (NUATE); Nigerian Union of Pensioners, (NUP); Trade Union Congress, (TUC); and the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), accused the government of not keeping its side of a bargain where it was agreed that talks would continue after President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was out of the country during the discussions, returned. The unions had met with Bi-Courtney and delegations from the presidency at Abuja, and all parties resolved that they would put their grievances on hold until the president’s return.

Failed promises
According to Gideon Ogbuji, the general secretary of NUATE, the government had handled the matter poorly by failing to invite the unions again for dialogue on issues surrounding the handover of the terminal upon the president’s return.
“If Bi-Courtney takes over the terminal as they have planned, we have no option but to down tools,” said Mr. Ogbuji.

“Bi-Courtney is trying to take GAT forcefully and alleging that the September 23 agreement is not binding on them,” said Frank Aiyede, a spokesperson for one of the unions. “If they take over the terminal, we have no option but to commence strike from Monday.”
Mr. Aiyede disclosed that the unions had mobilized thousands of their colleagues and that international affiliates had been warned not to fly into the country, stressing that any aircraft coming into Nigeria starting Monday did so at its own risk.

No lay-offs
Bi-Courtney, which currently manages the larger main domestic wing of the MMIA, has assured workers that there will be no job loss. According to Bicourtney’s chairman, Wale Babalakin, the job loss talk were just rumours.

“The management wishes to dismiss this rumour as unfounded and out of place in our determined effort to provide modern infrastructure and create opportunity for
Nigerians,” he said. “The handover of GAT to our company will not, in any way, result in job losses or disrupt smooth terminal and flight operations for scheduled domestic activities.”
If the unions go on strike, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria employees and some National Civil Aviation Authority employees will not provide services.

History
During the formal inauguration of Murtala Mohammed airport 2, currently run by Bi-Courtney in 2007, all domestic airlines were asked to move to the new terminal. Some of the airlines, however, did not move to the new terminal, as they claimed that Bi-Courtney’s charges were high.

After some adjustments by Bi-Courtney, some of the airlines moved to the new terminal (MAA2), but Arik Air did not. Sources from the airport disclosed that the airline had plans of upgrading the terminal, but the government’s directive that Bi-Courtney should control operations of the terminal halted the plans of Arik Air.
Latest figures from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) show that about 8,208,195 passengers pass through the nation’s airports yearly, all of which are served by the workers.