Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(ATSSSAN),the National Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE),Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations civil Service Technical and Recreational services Employees(AUPCTRE) have given the management of the Nigerian Air Space Management Agency (NAMA)a 21-day ultimatum to commence full implementation of all the agreed terms in the new Conditions of Service.
The unions gave the ultimatum in a letter titled, “Vehement Resolve of the Joint Unions to Protest Non –Approval of NAMA COS” addressed to the Managing Director of NAMA and signed by the Acting General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, Comrade Omotaje Olawale for ATSSSAN, Modiu Bello for AUPCTRE and made available to aviation correspondents.
The unions explained that at a joint meeting by NAMA employees who are members of our Unions’ ATSSSAN, AUPCTRE and NUATE, the session expressed utmost dismay and dissatisfaction at the alleged wicked insensitivity of the agency’s management to the welfare of staff and belligerent refusal to conclude for approval, the implementation of a new Conditions of Service of staff for NAMA despite concerted efforts in that regard.
The unions noted that NAMA management has taken for granted the maturity and social responsibility that its members have been displaying to ensure that the agency continues to discharge its duties and responsibilities, meeting up with global aviation standards.
The unions added that the management has been dithering on the full execution of the reviewed COS, which lapsed since 2012, adding that a review which ought to take place every two years but that the management has failed to review it.
“Management feels comfortable that several workers shall be left behind at the same sordid social and economic conditions of 2012, when every sane person knows the global economic downturn, high exchange rate and inflation has eaten deep into the take home pay of workers.” the unions said
The aviation unions stated that base on these fact, the joint unions platform has un-equivocally resolves as follows; that within 21 after receipt of this letter, management should commence full implementation of all the agreed terms in the new Conditions of Service, management should immediately invite the unions to agree on modalities to pay for the arrears of salaries and allowance of staff which should have accrued to them since the extant COS lapsed in 2012.
The unions warned that if the management failed to accede to these two demands, the unions and its members of shall be at liberty to deploy any legitimate arsenal in their custody to compel the management to perform its obligations to workers in tandem with extant laws.
According to them, ”We are now at a cross=roads and we cannot but step up the tempos to enhance the welfare of our members no matter whose ox is gored because we are confident that the heaven shall not fall when justice is done.”