The lingering industrial dispute between Air Peace and aviation workers’ unions has taken a new turn, with Air Peace airline petitioning the Inspector-General of Police over alleged acts of violence, conspiracy and conduct capable of disrupting public peace.
The petition, obtained by our correspondent, has triggered a police investigation involving the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, with the union invited to appear before the Police Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
In a letter dated August 26 and addressed to the State Chairman of ATSSSAN at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the police said they were investigating an alleged case of “Conspiracy, Threatening Violence, Inciting Disturbance of Public Peace, Assault Occasioning Harm and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace.”
The letter, signed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Magaji Mohammed, for the Head, Police Monitoring Unit, directed the ATSSSAN State Chairman to appear with the State Secretary on Wednesday, September 2, at 11 am.
ATSSSAN secretary, Francis Akinjole, confirmed that the unions received the police invitation on August 26 following the recent picketing of some airlines. He assured that the unions would honour the invitation.
Akinjole said, “On August 26, we got an invite from the Nigeria Police in Abuja that they are investigating the unions for assault, occasioning harm among others, but no problems. We are going to the Nigeria Police Headquarters in Abuja.”
Meanwhile, the unions have accused some domestic airlines of allegedly frustrating unionisation and intimidating workers who attempt to join organisations of their choice.
During a virtual meeting on Sunday, representatives of ATSSSAN, the National Union of Air Transport Employees and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers vowed to resist what they described as attempts to weaken organised labour in the aviation industry.
Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary of NAAPE, Olayinka Abioye, said the crisis could be traced partly to the decline of trade unionism following the liquidation of Nigeria Airways.
Abioye said, “In the last 15 to 20 years, the aviation unions in Nigeria have been aggressive in mobilising workers for unionism.
“Trade unionism died when Nigeria Airways was wrongly liquidated by the Olusegun Obasanjo regime, as the airline had about 10,000 union members before the liquidation.”
He alleged that workers who moved into private airlines were often willing to join unions but faced resistance from their employers. “The workers in the airlines are willing to join the unions, but they are being threatened by their employers,” he said.
He claimed that only Arik Air and Aero Contractors among the 18 domestic airlines have unionised workers, alleging that the remaining carriers do not permit union activities. “Ninety-five per cent of workers in Ibom Air are willing to join the unions, but their management bluntly refused them,” he alleged.
NUATE Treasurer, Safiya Araga, described the alleged restriction of workers from joining unions as a serious labour-rights issue. Araga said, “The airlines belong to various associations in the country and beyond.
“For instance, the airlines have Air Operators Nigeria, which fights their cause, yet they don’t want their staff to join the unions.”
She also raised concerns over employment practices in parts of the domestic aviation sector, warning that poor worker welfare and job insecurity could ultimately affect the industry.
Araga insisted that aviation safety cannot be separated from the welfare and stability of the people who keep airlines running.