Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
CURRENTLY Caverton Helicopter is under lock and key by the the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) backed by its affiliate body the United Labour Congress (ULC) over non remittance of pensions among other sundry issues.
The airline which is totally shut down 100% this morning was said to have been partially shutdown yesterday 70% as the unions vowed to get justice for their members who according to them are being shortchanged by Caverton management.
Supply of Aviation fuel to the company like Bristow has been cut off as unions accuse the helicopter service of disparity in remuneration a between nationals and expatriates through obnoxious exchange rate applications, abuse of expatriate quota law, witch hunt, victimization of unions and bastardization of negotiated service conditions.
National President of NAAPE, Abednego Galadima said for two years the company has refused to remit pension deductions to the appropriate authority.
“Caverton for over two years have been deducting pensions from our members and have refused to remit it to the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) , you know the monies are supposed to be in the account so that pension administrators can use it for business so that staff or workers can benefit from the interest, so if for over two years they have not remitted such pensions and the employers contribution according to the pension act, you know hat that means, it means that the staff have been shortchanged and so many of them are nearing retirement.”
According to him, Caverton’s condition of service has expired over one year and efforts to make sure a new one is in place is being stalled.
Insider information revealed that management is aware and not insensitive of the entire brouhaha.
Management, Nigerianflightdeck.com was informed, wrote NAAPE for a meeting on Wednesday next week while the planned strike was scheduled despite numerous entreaties from the union to meet and settle the rift.
