Don’t Assent to Anti-union Bill, Aviation Workers Tell Buhari

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Aviation Workers Union, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, against the new insertion in the Aviation Bill before the National Assembly that classified them as essential service providers.

The workers took their protest from the international wing of the airport to the gate carrying different placards that read: ‘Buhari don’t assent to anti-union aviation bill/act’, ‘our voices must be heard, protest is our right’, ‘when injustice becomes law resistance becomes a duty’

The state Council Chairman of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE),Abuja, Comrade Dauda Nambol, while speaking to newsmen, stated that the protest was prompted, following the illegal clause inserted into the Aviation Bill

Nambol explained that, classifying them as essential workers meant that they would be exempted from all the instrument of their actions and in turn, they would not be allowed to carry out strikes, picketing or lock-out, which he said were the instrument of their struggles as enshrined in the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention.

He said: “We are comrades and this is our right as workers. If we feel dissatisfied over any issue, we have the right to protest and we will not allow anybody take away that right.”
“We are calling on the president not to assent to that bill, because that bill is anti-labour and we will make sure we win that struggle.”

Nambol, who warned that after the peaceful protest, they would give the government two weeks to yank off the clause, disclosed that failure to do so would compel them to use all the available instrument to ensure they achieved their struggle.

According to him, “The controversial clause inserted into the bill stated: “All services, which facilitate and maintain the smooth, orderly and safe take-off, flight and landing of aircraft, embarkation and disembarkation and evacuation of passengers and cargo respectively in all aerodromes in Nigeria are hereby designated as essential services pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).

“The minister may by regulations prohibit all or such class or classes of workers, officers and other employees or persons whether corporate or natural, engaged in the provision of services specified in subsection (1) of this section from taking part in a strike or other industrial action.

“The provisions of the Trade Disputes (essential Services) Act, Cap. T9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 shall apply to service in the Agency, facilities managed by the Agency and in the implementation of this Bill.

“There shall be no strikes, lock-outs, pickets, blockades, service disruptions, etc of any kind within all facilities managed by the Agency and where any labour dispute arises, such dispute shall be resolved by the Agency,” he noted.