Nigeria’s aviation workers face call to strike from Monday

Nigeria’s airports face two days of disruption from Monday as aviation workers stage a second strike this year in protest over working conditions and wages, unions said at the weekend.

The country’s aviation industry is facing problems, including poor facilities, jet fuel shortages that often ground domestic flights and a lack of foreign currency that has seen international carriers failing to repatriate their ticket sales.

Unions representing pilots, engineers, control tower operators and other airport workers said in a notice dated Friday that they would boycott work on Monday and Tuesday citing outstanding arrears and a decision by the federal government to demolish the Lagos offices of some aviation agencies to pave way for airport expansion.

“All aviation workers are hereby directed to withdraw all services in the sector on April 17 and 18 as a warning strike,” the unions said.

“Should the warning strike fail to achieve the desired results, an indefinite strike shall ensue. All workers should comply and all state councils and branch executive members shall enforce this directive without compromise.”

An aviation ministry spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

The strike notice has been signed by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees.