As a result of the intervention, Arik Air has agreed to pay all salary arrears to its workers beginning this Friday.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has intervened in the picketing of Arik Air by industry unions over the non-payment of salaries and illegal deductions from its members working for the airline.
As a result of the intervention, Arik Air has agreed to pay all salary arrears to its workers beginning this Friday.
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting called by the NCAA stated that the unions – the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) – agreed to shelve the strike following the intervention of the regulatory authority.
“Parties resolved that Arik Air is to resume operations forthwith upon the signing of this communiqué. Parties agreed that no individual shall be victimized as a consequence of the strike action,” the communiqué stated.
The communiqué was signed for Arik Air by Deputy Managing Director, Capt. Ado Sanusi, and Associated Vice President, Treasury, Mr. Garuba Akeem. Comrades Ocheme Aba, Francis Akinjole and Olayinka Abioye of NAAPE, ATSSSAN and NUATE, respectively, signed for the unions. Capt. Abdullahi Sisi, Director, Operations and Training, signed the communiqué representing the Director-General of the NCAA.
The statement announced that Arik Air agreed to pay the outstanding October and November 2016 salaries before the end of the year.
According to the communiqué, October salaries will be paid on or before Friday, 23 December 2016 while the November salaries will be paid on or before 31 December 2016.
It was also agreed that the unions would submit the acknowledged copies of the letters forwarding membership forms of their prospective members to the NCAA, while the regulatory body would forward such to the management of the airline to do the needful.
Additionally, a committee to review the circumstances of all laid-off employees, made up of one member from each union and Arik Air, will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 10 January 2017, but Hawker fleet employees will be exempted from the review.
