Unions deadline expire today as Bi-Courtney declares threats acts of lawlessness

 

 BI-COURTNEY Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), has described as acts of lawlessness the threats by two of the unions in the aviation sector, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), to disrupt operations at MMA2 following the termination of services of some members of staff.

The union threat expires today the 28^th of May, 2018 having issued it on 21^st May 2018.

A reactionary statement by the company in Lagos yesterday said: “The attention of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) has been drawn to the activities of two of the unions in the aviation industry namely, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), who have threatened to disrupt operations of our terminal.

“We are taken aback by their threat to further display acts of lawlessness against our organization.

“Contrary to their allegation that our members of staff had their service terminated because they threatened to join a union, these members of staff who were relieved of their appointment are staff who had either attained retirement age or who were found not to be diligent in their duties. We reserve the right to continue to improve the quality of our staff.”

“We will do everything within the laws of Nigeria to enforce our right to peaceful existence and to operate our business without any interference from meddlesome interlopers.

Recall, the unions issued Bi-Courtney a seven days ultimatum to recall 20 sacked workers by the management of terminal operator for indicating interest in joining any union of their choice in the industry.

A petition jointly signed by the General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Olayinka Abioye and Frances Akinjole, with the title, ‘Notice of Seven Day Ultimatum To Recall Sacked Workers Of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited,” dated May 21, 2018 and made available to nigerianflightdeck alleged that the terminal operator erred in sacking the workers for their intents to be a member of unions in the industry they work.

The petition said that with the notice, BASL was expected to reinstate all members of staff sacked arbitrarily, allow for unfettered unionization of all interested members of staff in consonance with the applicable laws of Nigeria and meet with industrial unions to fashion the way forward as social partners in the industry.

The unions emphasized that the ultimatum would elapse on Monday, May 28, 2018, threatening that failure of BASL to accede to the unions’ demands would “lead to a situation too knotty for both parties.”