Between unionism and economic sabotage in aviation sector
09 February 2023 |
4:10 am
Whatever it is worth, the last industrial action by a section of aviation workers and attendant collapse of both foreign and local flight services smirk of reckless and destructive unionism that should have no place in a progressive society.
Aviation sector
Whatever it is worth, the last industrial action by a section of aviation workers and attendant collapse of both foreign and local flight services smirk of reckless and destructive unionism that should have no place in a progressive society. The aggrieved workers and their handlers crossed the fine line of decency, sliding into malicious economic sabotage by shutting down such essential service abruptly. The travesty should not go uninvestigated and culprits punished accordingly.
The Nigerian air travel sector, like others world over, is full of complaints. Several of those reported only get a yawn from the authorities and it is soon business as usual. But a case deserving more than a passing interest is the recent industrial action by workers of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Aviance) over welfare issues, poor pay and breakdown in negotiation with their management. In a bizarre manner rarely heard of in global aviation, the private faceoff between workers and employer blew into a national embarrassment that shocked the world.
On that fateful day, a Monday, crew, booked travellers and in-bound airlines only arrived at airports to get the first hint of the strike action by NAHCO ground handlers. And in the 15 hours that the industrial action lasted, more than half of local and foreign airlines (all customers of NAHCO) operating in Nigeria, and their passengers were in complete disarray. Without ground handlers to offer logistic services at the ramp, local airlines were all grounded. Arriving foreign airlines took passengers to neighbouring countries. Qatar Airways returned to its base in Doha! Words wafted round the globe that Nigeria has declared a self-imposed no-flight zone!
Pilots and airport workers’ strikes are not unusual globally. They mostly bother on remuneration and heavy workload. However, never taken for granted is the effect such downtime would have on passengers, airlines and aviation in general. For that reason, concerned authorities are all too adept to issue Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), to inform on development for affected parties to activate contingency plans.
Shockingly, Nigeria did not send out NOTAM before the NAHCO strike and caught everyone unawares. Besides the frustration of those on ground, the crude action puts lives of those airborne at risk. Airlines like Air Peace estimated losses to the tune of N500 million. Catering services had the day’s packages wasted. Imagine how scandalised the country would have been had there been an aircraft coming in on emergency! Without mincing words, it was an act of economic sabotage of which corporate and personal losses are infinite.
Indeed, it is not the first time the aviation sector has been this knackered by those that should protect it. It was the same narrative when aviation unions picketed Murtala Muhammed Airport terminal II (MMA2) in Lagos last November, over labour issues between workers and management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Service Limited (BASL). The daylong exercise affected over 70 flights across the nationwide network, with attendant discomfort to travellers and loss of revenue.
There is no denying the rights of Nigerian workers, including those in aviation, both to be aggrieved and to ventilate grievances as necessary. The peculiarity of the aviation sector and its safety priority has made workers’ satisfaction equally important. A poorly paid mainstream or ancillary worker is always a disaster waiting to happen – which is always costly for all. It does not speak well of ground handling agencies to have careless staff damaging aircraft on the apron, being caught or suspected of conniving with drug cartels to smuggle consignments. Therefore, to see unions pressing for better remunerations, especially for ground handlers that have often been ignored, is faultless.
Completely unacceptable, however, is the incivility of handling grievances. First, it is disappointing that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) did not have a firm foothold on affairs of the ground handling agencies and only intervened after it had been caught flat-footed and the damage done. NCAA, which is the apex regulatory agency of the aviation sector in Nigeria, is statutorily saddled with safety and economic regulations of the industry. While its eagle eye has routinely preyed on the local airlines for obvious reasons, the ground handlers and their so-called family-affair should not continue to elude the NCAA’s oversight functions. Following the recent hard-fought review of ground handling charges accruable to the agencies, the likes of NAHCO has no excuse whatsoever not to pay salaries that are competitive in comparison. It is the responsibility of the NCAA to hold NAHCO, like others, accountable to safe operations, routine capacity building and welfare of its employees, to avert reckless and blind unionism shutting everybody down.
Following promptings from reporters, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, also condemned actions of the unions, though with the usual grandstanding mien. He was quick to remind all that the new Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Act 2022 has prohibited strikes, lock-outs, pickets, blockades, service disruptions, among others around the airports, citing that aviation has been incorporated into the sacred list of essential services. The minister is right with the new provision; he however, missed the fact that being an essential service provider does not exclude workers of their fundamental rights to association, unionism and protests.
Beyond blowing hot air, the incident demands a thorough investigation and sanctions for reckless behaviour – be it on the part of unions that floated Industrial Court order or NAHCO that failed to notify appropriate authorities of the wayward conduct of its workers. The essence is to ensure that even grievances within the sector should kowtow the laid-down procedure. Similarly, there should be more responsive mechanisms of resolving worker-employer fracas without holding the entire sector or customers to ransom.
In addition, it is high time the various unions in the aviation sector had taken an introspective look at themselves, the industry and come up with more civilised approaches to managing differences without slanting into destructive arm-twisting that leaves the sector worse off. As employees whose means of livelihood depend on the airlines’ operations and the aviation sector at large, the workers are also stakeholders that should fight tooth and nail for its progress.
Certainly, there will be provocations from errant employers, but to keep disrupting efficient operations at the slightest needling is injurious to selves, the industry and the economy at large. A sector already on its knees needs the right stability and less aggressive behaviour for survival and to attract new investors that will create more opportunities for all. NAHCO workers may have gotten one over their management through the unfortunate episode but they have also given local and foreign airlines reasons to look elsewhere for reliable ground handling services. It is a case of being penny wise, pound foolish!
Related
Latest
6 mins ago
Russian strikes on Ukraine in the early hours of Friday killed at least eight people, including two children, as Kyiv said it shot down a Russian strategic bomber for the first time.
9 mins ago
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by seven senior advocates of Nigeria against the National Judicial Council (NJC) and others over the alleged unlawful appointment of judges in Kogi.
12 mins ago
Police have arrested one Emmanuel Victor who is the principal suspect behind the Killing of a student of Abia State University (ABSU) Uturu, Emmanuel Uche, during a cult clash. In March, a viral video surfaced on social media, showing a 400-level History and International Relations student, being attacked by members of a rival group within…
13 mins ago
A Burundi journalist has been charged with "endangering internal security", an offence that risks up to life in prison, her lawyers and relatives said, accusing the authorities of beating her during interrogation.
14 mins ago
At least 23 people have been killed in an attack by bandits on the Anguwar Danko community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, according to a community leader. The attack, which occurred Wednesday night, has yet to be confirmed by Kaduna State Police authorities. A leader in the community, Zubairu Abdulrahuf, told…
21 mins ago
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has placed former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on a watchlist. Immigration took this step after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday declared Bello wanted. NIS placed Bello on the watchlist in a circular dated April 18 and signed by Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, DS Umar, for…
22 mins ago
Eniola Ajao's new movie "Ajakaju" has continued to smash box office records, crossing the N2OOmillion mark less than a month after its release. The indigenous epic film, co-produced by Anthills Studio and distributed by FilmoneNg, has captured the hearts of audiences across Nigeria, crossing the impressive N200 million mark in ticket sales, according to data…
28 mins ago
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Friday that Russia was now focusing its hybrid attacks on neighbouring Finland, using migrants to try to destabilise the country.
43 mins ago
A remote volcano in Indonesia's outermost region erupted again Friday, local authorities and an AFP journalist said, after the crater threw up columns of smoke and lava multiple times this week and forced thousands to evacuate.
58 mins ago
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveiled planned welfare reforms Friday to end Britain's "sick note culture", in an apparent pitch to keep his beleaguered Conservatives in power at an election due this year.
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.