One of the unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), has called for the immediate re-instatement of its chairman in Arik, John Richard, or the airline risks industrial unrest.
Industrial crisis looms in Arik Air as the Chairman, Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, has unilaterally sacked four staff members of the airline. Their offense: engaging in union activities within the industry.
One of the unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), has called for the immediate re-instatement of its chairman in Arik, John Richard, or the airline risks industrial unrest.
The three leading unions in Nigeria’s aviation industry, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Air Traffic Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and NUATE, had inaugurated their executive members in Arik in September of this year following an agreement reached with the airline in July 2014.
But only three weeks after inaugurating the executives in the troubled airline, which has not paid its workers for over six months, Mr. Arumemi-Ikhide sacked four of the officials. Three of those sacked were from NAAPE, along with John Richard of NUATE, who was disengaged from service the same day.
Arik’s letter of dismissal issued to the officials, letter, dated September 30, 2016, said the airline company no longer needed the services of the union leaders.
A source close to the airline told our correspondent that Mr. Arumemi-Ikhide ordered the human resources manager to immediately issue sack letters to the four for daring to join the unions despite an agreement reached by both parties and prior information to the management before the executives’ inauguration.
In a swift reaction, NUATE in a petition with the reference number NUATE.GS/MD.ARIK/ENP/007-2016, dated October 4, 2016, protested the unjust sacking of its chairman in the airline, just three weeks after joining the union.
The petition was signed by NUATE General Secretary, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, and copied the Minister of State for Aviation, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Commissioner of Police, Airport Command and Director, State Security Services, Airport Command.
The union accused Arik management of witch-hunting its members and not following due disciplinary process in sacking its chairman in the airline, warning that if he was not re-instated, the airline would face appropriate action
The petition read in part: “Sadly, as we plan building a robust industrial democracy within your enterprise, we are confronted with the illegal sack of our chairman, without your company following due diligence, particularly when the employee was safeguarding the safety and security of your aircraft and its passengers.
“Take note therefore that failure on the part of your management to reinstate the union chairman will mean that labor and your management will be working at cross-purposes, which may be detrimental to your operations. We do not hope to take the line of action your management seems to be pushing us into, but we may have no choice than to react appropriately.”
In its response, Arik insisted that there were no unions in the airline.
The airline, in a letter dated October 11, 2016, and signed for management by the Senior Manager, Human Resources, Mr. Matthew Okonkwo, declared that the service of Mr. Richard was no longer required, but failed to give the reasons why.
The airline accused the unions of attempting to hijack its business under the guise of unionism, stressing that the unions were contributing to the deteriorating business climate in the Nigerian aviation industry.
Arik’s letter read in part: “Following your correspondence in relation to one of our ex-staff, John Richard, this serves to clarify that his disengagement is in line with the terms of his engagement, where either party can terminate the contract at any time with appropriate notice or payment in lieu of notice.
“This obligation has been fulfilled by the letter issued to him dated 30th September, 2016, with the required payment, in lieu of notice.”
But an agreement reached between the two parties on July 22, 2014, indicated that the airline agreed to unionize 24 months after. The agreement was signed for management by Capt. Ado Sanusi, Executive Vice President and Deputy Director; Comrade Ocheme Aba, General Secretary, NAAPE, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo, General Secretary, NUATE and Comrade Captain Tarnongu for ATSSSAN.
