Unions in the aviation sector have commenced mobilization of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) in bid to gather wider support for their proposed strike action over failure of Federal Government to pay the pension of workers of defunct Nigeria Airways.
The unions which have given the Federal government a 14 days ultimatum over the issue, decry the delay in the payment of N45 billion which they said has been approved by the Federal government for payment of pension and other entitlement of over 5,000 workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
While issuing a 14 days ultimatum in a joint petition signed by Mr Ocheme Aba for NAAPE; Mr Frances Akinjole, ATSSSAN; and Mr Olayinka Abioye for NUAT, on the 19th of March, the Unions said it was unfortunate that the retired workers have not been paid their entitlements by the Federal Ministry of Finance 10 months after approval for the payment was given by the Federal Executive Council.
In the petition which was addressed to Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of State for Aviation, the workers accused the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun of frustrating all the efforts to ensure the workers get paid.
The union alleged that previous letters to the Minister of Finance have failed to move her to pay the entitlements, just as earlier letter from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on the matter.
The unions therefore issued the federal government a 14 days ultimatum to pay the embattled workers or face distruption of services in the aviation sector.
The Unions which will be invoved in the strike if the Federal government fails to fulfil the agreement includes: National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).