Aviation workers, yesterday, called off its planned industrial action following an agreement on a new date for the implementation of the controversial Condition of Service (CoS) and adjustment of minimum wage of staffers in the sector.
The workers’ unions, at a meeting with the Federal Government in Abuja, reached a consensus on approval, release and implementation of the reviewed CoS latest March 31, 2022.
The coalition of aviation workers’ unions had last week threatened to embark on strike in protest against delays in the implementation of new CoS and attendant review of staff welfare in all agencies of the sector.
The aggrieved workers said the CoS had been due for review since 2013 and the delay was not unconnected with the government’s non-committal to workers’ welfare and conspicuous absence of governing boards of directors at the agencies.
At the emergency meeting, at the behest of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and aviation unions that included members of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), agreed on urgent and far-reaching implementation of outstanding welfare policies.
On the issue of non-implementation of the minimum wage/consequential adjustment, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), was requested to issue a Service Wide Circular informing all organisations in the public and private sectors that they are bound to implement the wage and adjustment, while the Ministry of Aviation is to circulate same to all agencies under its supervision, requesting them to implement it without further delay and also clarify that the payment became effective from April 18, 2019 when the minimum wage was signed into law.
The meeting agreed that those that have exited the system during the period to date would also be paid arrears.
On the approval or release of the reviewed conditions of service of the agencies under the Ministry of Aviation, the meeting agreed that the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) would resolve the financial aspect for Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) by the third week of February.
In the case of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), the meeting was informed that the financial implication has been approved by the PCS and the implementation process has been concluded except for hazard allowances, which would be reconsidered by the NSWIWC on a sectoral level.
