AIR Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has in its 2020 May Day Solidarity message has threatened to confront what it described as the unilateral and arbitrary cutting of members’ salaries and declaration of unpaid leave.
This is just as the union has enjoined its members to take strict compliance to the usage of the Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) seriously when operations fully resume at the nation’s various airports.
ATSSSAN in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Ahmadu Ilitrus and Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Frances Akinjole they noted that the destructive and disruptive COVID-19 pandemic have removed the funfair and glamour in the aviation industry.
The statement however said that the union was not unaware of assaults some employers are directing against the workers in their employment stating that while they are willing to have constructive engagements they would confront employers who ignore peaceful resolutions.
The statement read, “While we are using this day to empathize with every player in our industry, including our toiling comrades, who have been in one way or the other traumatized by the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic, may we quickly express that we are not unaware of the various regrettable assaults some employers are ignorantly directing against the innocent workers in their employment.
“While we genuinely remain accessible to every willing employer for constructive engagement to mutually address the negative impact of COVID-19, towards finding a win-win solution out of this present situation, we shall not accept this regime of unilateral and arbitrary cutting of our members’ salaries and declaration of unpaid leave. We are prepared to confront these assaults upon resumption with every vigour in us. This is not an empty threat!
The statement earlier explained the change that had to happen in the way the Worker’s Day celebration is held and how the COVID-19 has changed it all.
The statement in part read,†As we may recall, our tradition of commemorating the May Day is always filled with incomparable funfair and glamour in the aviation industry. It is pathetic that this year’s has come in a different manner. It is a solemn marking of the workers’ day everywhere in the world today; no thanks to the destructive and disruptive COVID-19 pandemic.
“Comrades, it is also important to inform that, in understanding and appreciating the enormous dangers the COVID-19 disruption poses to the survival of the aviation sector, our Union, in conjunction with NUATE, NAAPE and ANAP quickly forwarded a passionate letter of appeal to the Federal Government for special intervention in the aviation industry, of which all business operators shall be the greatest beneficiaries.
“Though, without prejudice to what the various aviation businesses are passing through at this time, we sincerely see no reason while our members should be a target for victimisation, especially at this early period of the crisis.
“Our Union salutes every frontline worker, among which aviators and the press should rightly belong, for their monumental sacrifices in the fight against COVID-19. It is in this vein we strongly enjoin our members to take strict compliance to the usage of the Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) seriously now and when operations fully resume at our various airports.
“Be assured that we are going to ensure that the required equipment are provided by managements before we allow our members to be pushed to the frontline.â€
