Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), yesterday, invaded Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos to picket Owerri-bound flights, in protest against alleged anti-labour activities in Imo State.
The aggrieved unionists stormed the airport terminals, creating a scare that not only disrupted Air Peace and United Nigeria Airline flights to Owerri, but all other destinations on the morning belt.
The development, being the third similar disruptions in recent months, has caused the airline operators to kick.
At the May Day commemoration in Imo on Monday, the labour unions had a brawl with the state government, following alleged state-sponsored thugs invading the workers’ parade venue to disrupt civil proceedings.
In turn, the NLC and TUC had at an emergency joint central working committee meeting directed members in the aviation sector to paralyse flight to Imo State beginning from midnight of yesterday, May 3, 2023.
The action, and attendant temporary stall on scheduled flight services, however, brought pains to air travellers, and losses to operators.
Management of Air Peace Airline said the action was targeted against its operation, despite having no affiliation whatsoever with the Imo State Government or Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The airline reiterated that its duty and commitment were to the Nigerian flying public that have paid for services.
“This morning, the unions carried out a selective attack on Air Peace and disrupted our operations. While they were doing this, another Nigerian airline was allowed to operate into and out of Owerri.”
Chief Operating Officer of another airline also condemned the action, and called on the authorities to stop the “obnoxious” act of disrupting aviation businesses.
He said: “The unions have spoilt our day. If at the end of the day, we were only able to operate 10 flights till midnight, who pays for all the fights rescheduled and cancelled? The unions have demonstrated and passed a message across. But, what of the customers that were not allowed to keep important appointments and airlines that lost huge revenue?”
“It is only in Nigerian aviation that unions will wake up one day and shut down airlines and terminals without any prior notice. Yet, these workers still depend on these airlines to pay them at the end of the month.
“I expect the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other authorities to call them to order because it is an economic crime against the general public, the airline, with serious implications for safety. It is not the first time they are getting this aggressive, but it should never happen in all seriousness. Their blind actions are more damaging to the industry. If they cannot be part of the solution, let them stop being a problem,” he said.
