The National Union of Air Transport Employee, NUATE vows to picket airlines barring staff from joining trade unions. It deems such actions a violation of labor laws, aiming to eliminate slave labor.
NUATE President Ben Nnabue, speaking at a campaign event, asserts the union’s resolve, backed by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). He cites five years of advocacy to government officials, signaling readiness for stronger actions.
He warned: “This is the last olive branch we intend to extend to them; the next time we will have to use what the laws allow us to do. We will picket them, but we have to exhaust all the channel of dialogue first then we are at liberty to use the last resort on those organizations.”
NUATE’s General Secretary, Ocheme Aba, stresses the benefits of unionization, alleging no unionized airline has collapsed in Nigeria. He highlights the importance of organized structures in ensuring fair treatment and protection of workers’ rights.
NUATE vows to picket airlines, with members carrying placards advocating for workers’ rights, warns of imminent picketing if dialogue fails. Their stance aligns with international labor standards, emphasizing the right to union representation as fundamental.
NUATE’s stance reflects a global push for labor rights, aiming to safeguard workers against exploitation and ensure fair treatment.
“A unionized airline worker doesn’t cut corners, they don’t take orders from the owners to cut corners. They work according to the rules because if you give them a query, they will answer and if the company carries out any action there is usually fair hearing.”
As tensions escalate, the fate of non-unionized airlines hangs in the balance amid growing calls for compliance with labor laws.
