Aviation Workers Embark On Nationwide Protest [Photos]

Aviation workers have embarked on a peaceful nationwide protest over a law seeking to prevent trade unions in the sector from demonstrations.

Naija News reports that the President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Ben Nnabue, made the disclosure on Monday.

The NUATE president stated that all aviation workers had begun the peaceful protest in all airports across the country on Monday and would continue until the legislation is removed.

Speaking with TheCable, Nnabue said the workers are demanding the removal of a clause in an act establishing aviation agencies that seek to prevent trade unions from protesting.

Nnabue added that the union has given the federal government a 14-day ultimatum to look into their demands, saying that failure to address their requests will lead to a strike which would possibly shut down airport activities.

He said: “Sometime last year, we went to the national assembly to amend the act establishing the agencies so that it would be more progressive. There was one obnoxious clause that talked about trade unions not going on strike.

“We were shocked that before they sent it to the president for assent, those clauses were maliciously inserted. So we have to fight for them to remove it. That’s the whole idea.”

Nnabue explained that airport activities would not be grounded, stressing that the workers are only protesting peacefully and airport activities are not affected.

He added: “It is a peaceful demonstration. It is after now and they didn’t hear us or didn’t look at our demands, then we get to the level of grounding the operations of airports.

“We have given the government a 14-day ultimatum to look at our demands, after which we now do what is called strike.”