NCAA urges aviation unions to suspend strike over alleged Air Peace infractions

Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has appealed to aviation unions to halt their ongoing industrial action against Air Peace, emphasizing that the dispute should be resolved through dialogue. The strike has significantly disrupted flight operations and caused considerable inconvenience to passengers.

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the dispute should be resolved through dialogue

The NCAA's Director-General, Chris Najomo, issued the appeal amid the picketing of Air Peace operations at Lagos and Abuja airports. Aviation unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), are backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

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the entrances to its departure terminals at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1, including the Alpha and Zulu terminals, and Terminal 2 in Lagos, as well as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal in Abuja, had been barricaded.

The unions' grievances center on two main issues: alleged difficulties for workers in joining trade unions freely and the purported withholding of a five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) collected from passengers. Air Peace stated that the barricading of its departure terminals at Lagos and Abuja airports has prevented scheduled flights from departing. The airline has apologized to affected passengers and is providing updates as the situation evolves.

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some airline workers were afraid to express an interest in joining trade unions because of concerns about discrimination or victimisation.

Union leaders claim that some airline workers fear discrimination or victimization for expressing interest in joining trade unions. They also allege that airlines have collected the five percent TSC but failed to remit the funds to the NCAA, impacting collective bargaining agreements and workers' conditions of service. The unions had previously issued notices threatening industrial action and are demanding assurances of workers' freedom to unionize without fear, as well as the immediate remittance of the collected TSC.

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airlines had collected the five per cent charge from passengers but failed to remit the funds to the NCAA.