Passengers found themselves stranded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) commenced an indefinite strike across the country.
After an emergency meeting on Sunday, the aviation union directed its members to withdraw their services across all airports.
The unions involved are the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).
Comrade Uzor Samuel Oluchi, the Deputy National President of NUATE, confirmed the development to The Guardian.
He stated that in compliance with the directives by the NLC/TUC, the union began a strike action at the Abuja airport at 12 am, resulting in no flights landing or taking off.
“As I speak, I am on the runway, and no flight is landing or taking off. This will continue until the government consents to our demands,” he said. He also mentioned that while the toll gate remains open, all terminal buildings are shut down.
The unions acknowledged the complexities of international travel and announced that the strike at international terminals would begin on June 4. Uzor emphasized, “Except for international flights, no local flights are landing for now.”
The Guardian observed hundreds of passengers standing with their luggage at the entrance of the terminal building, hoping that the union would call off the strike.
