The National Union of Air Transport Workers (NUATE) yesterday disrupted the Lagos-Paris flight of Air France-KLM at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, to protest against the alleged refusal of the airline to review upwards the salary structure of its Nigerian workers.
The union explained that it decided to picket the airline because it had refused to review upwards the salary of the Nigerian workers since the last 10 years.
The Nigerian staff of the airline stopped work during the picketing period, thereby suspending activities at the airline’s offices and at the airport.
The workers said since the last 10 years, their salaries had been stagnant despite their clamour for an upward review.
Confirming the union’s action, the Deputy General Secretary, NUATE, Olayinka Abioye, said the picketing of the airline was supported by the staff who claimed that they had unjustly been maltreated over the years by the mega carrier.
He disclosed that before the one-day picketing exercise, the union had met with the management of the airline more than three times, but rather than acquiesce to the demands of the workers, the management said the salary structure would not be reviewed.
Abioye explained that before the closure of operations against the airline yesterday, the union had issued 28-day ultimatum to the management, but it still refused to shift its position, adding that after the one-day protest, the union would adopt another strategy if the management did not yield to the demands of its members.
“For months, the management of the airline has been avoiding us and rather than approve the workers’ demand, they asked us to send them a proposal on the issue, which we did almost immediately, but to our surprise, they are still playing hide and seek with us. We will not allow any of our members to be maltreated by any airline. We will continue to protect the interest of our members wherever they are,” Abioye said.
He, however, said the Ministry of Labour and Productivity had intervened in the matter and the union would meet with the ministry and the management of the airline very soon, although the airline management has not fixed a date for the meeting.
“The Ministry of Labour and Productivity had contacted us and we are calling off the strike to allow them operate today (yesterday). We have told our members to resume work, pending the time we will meet with the ministry and the airline’s management.”
When the correspondent contacted the airline, the airline confirmed the incident and said the Nigerian workers had gone on strike earlier in the day but it was called off and the workers had resumed work.
“There was staff strike but now everything is in order. The airline has resumed operation,” she said.
