…To Confront Entities On Resumption
The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSDAN) has stated that it would not accept the unilateral and arbitrary cutting of its member’s salaries and declaration of unpaid leave.
This is just as the association said it was prepared to confront these assaults upon resumption with every vigour it has.
ATSSSAN’s reaction came on the heels of the 80 per cent pay cut the management of Arik Air agreed to enforce in April for its workers and also for them to precede on leave without pay until further notice beginning from today May1
Also recalled that Azman Air had sent its staff on compulsory leave without pay, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The airline in a letter dated March 25, 2020, signed by the General Manager, Alhaji Lawan Suleiman, with the heading, ‘Compulsory Leave Without Pay,’ stated that it took the decision in view of the current situation.
ATSSSAN said this in a May Day message jointly signed by the National President Comrade, Ahmadu Ilitrus and the Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Frances Akinjole and made available to AbelNews
He said that this year’s May Day is themed, “60 Years of Nationhood: Insecurity, Wage, Poverty and Future of Work in Nigeria,” and that in view of that, “our union therefore, reiterates our commitment towards protecting your right to security at workplaces, your right to reasonable wages and your right to decent work any day, anytime.”
The President said that while the association is using this day to empathise with every player in the aviation industry, including the workers, who have been in one way or the other traumatised by the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic, he quickly expressed that ATSSSAN is not unaware of the various regrettable assaults some employers are ignorantly directing against the innocent workers in their employment.
According to the President, “While we genuinely remain accessible to every willing employer for constructive engagement to mutually address the negative impact of COVID-19, towards finding a win-win solution out of this present situation, we shall NOT accept this regime of unilateral and arbitrary cutting of our members’ salaries and declaration of unpaid leave. We are prepared to confront these assaults upon resumption with every vigour in us. This is not an empty threat!”
He noted that it was also important to inform that in understanding and appreciating the enormous dangers the COVID-19 disruption poses to the survival of the aviation sector, ATSSSAN in conjunction with the National Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE),National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers(NAAPE) and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) quickly wrote a passionate letter of appeal to the Federal Government for special intervention in the aviation industry, of which all business operators shall be the greatest beneficiaries.
He stated that though without prejudice to what the various aviation businesses are passing through at this time, the ATSSSAN boss said that the association sincerely see no reason why its members should be the target of victimisation, especially at this early period of the crisis.
He commended every frontline workers, among which aviators and the media for their monumental sacrifices in the fight against COVID-19, enjoining ATSSSAN members to comply strictly with the usage of the Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) now and when operations fully resume at the various airports.
He assured that ATSSSAN would ensure that the required equipment are provided by managements before workers are allowed to be pushed to the frontline.
Today, he said is the day to celebrate and salute them for all the pains they have taken in their lives to make things better for the country.
