Unions warn NAMA management over contemplated salary cut

UNIONS in the aviation industry have written the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) warning the agency not to go ahead with its planned payment of incomplete salaries to staff forecasting dire consequences for the action.

The unions are National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

In the letter to the Managing Director of NAMA, Captain Fola Akinkuotu titled: Incomplete Staff Salary: A Recipe for Avoidable Crisis the unions strongly advise against the attempt.

The letter read, “We have again been reliably informed that NAMA management is contemplating a payment of incomplete salaries to staff of the agency for the month of June this year. If this is true, it is our Unions’ opinion that the intended action would amount to gross embarrassment to our aviation industry, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the entire people of this great country.

“Our Unions therefore strongly advise against the attempt because, the consequences may be more damaging than what might have been envisaged. “

It continued,” Going forward, we are compelled to suggest that management be properly guided on how to address issues that concern salaries of our members in the agency. While we sincerely concede to the effectiveness of management continuous rapport with our in-house branches executives in NAMA for effective management of workers’ welfare and sustenance of industrial harmony, the correct position is that it is wrong for Management to even discuss any alteration to our members’ salaries without recourse to the national unions.

“In light of the contemplated management intention against our members’ salaries, we hereby, strongly demand that full salaries and other entitlements as due to our members be paid on or before the 29th day of June 2020.  Failure of this demand to be met may attract any action we deem necessary to protect the dignity of labour of our members without further warning from our Unions.

“The letter was signed by Deputy General Secretary ATSSSAN, Comrade Frances Akinjole, General Secretary NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba; General Secretary   ANAP,    Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu and Ag. General Secretary, AUPCTRE, Comrade Musa Ukpo.”