THE National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has directed the Aviation Security (AVSEC) and logistics sub-sector to commence an immediate strike from today, Wednesday August 16th, 2023 over their N30,000 monthly pay.
The union made this known in a circular obtained by our reporter and addressed to the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA); Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Commissioner of Police, Airports Command, the Airport Commandant, Director, Department of State Security (DSS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos Command.
It added that the withdrawal of services was inevitable.
The circular, which was signed by the General Secretary, NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba, lamented that AVSEC who are mostly graduates are paid a paltry N30,000 monthly.
He explained that all efforts to negotiate improved wages for their members in the past had failed and wondered why N30,000 could be sufficient for the personnel in today’s Nigeria.
The circular reads, “As you are all aware, the union has done everything possible to resolve the lingering crisis of extreme impoverishment of employees of Aviation Security (AvSec) & logistics sub-sector of the aviation industry in Nigeria, but to no avail.
“The managements of all the companies in the business have all failed to secure decent contracts that can avail fair remuneration for their workers. With current salary levels as low as N30,000 a month for graduates, there is no gainsaying that AvSec employment in Nigeria is nothing other than a slave labour camp; to call a spade a spade.
“This situation can no longer be allowed to continue. In this regard, and further to our letter of ultimatum dated 26th June, 2023, all workers in all Aviation Logistics companies in Nigeria are hereby directed to totally withdraw services as from August 16, 2023 indefinitely, until our demand for fair remuneration is met.
“Please note that only the National Secretariat of NUATE is authorized to issue any further directives on this matter.
“State Councils and Branches of NUATE in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu are hereby directed to be on hand to assure full compliance with this notice.”
