Air Peace operations were disrupted on Tuesday morning as aviation labour unions commenced picketing of the airline’s facilities in Lagos and Abuja over alleged anti-union practices and outstanding financial obligations to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The action was led by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), with the support of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The industrial action disrupted flight operations at the affected airports, leaving several passengers stranded and unable to board their scheduled flights.
The unions had on August 4 issued a notice of picketing, warning that they could commence industrial action “at any time without further notice” if their grievances against the airline were not resolved.
Explaining Tuesday’s action, the unions said they had exercised considerable restraint and allowed Air Peace several weeks to address the issues in dispute.
They alleged that the airline had continued to prevent some of its employees from freely joining trade unions, despite repeated efforts by the aviation unions to secure recognition of workers’ rights to freedom of association.
The unions also accused Air Peace of failing to remit ticket sales charges owed to the NCAA, claiming that the matter had remained unresolved despite previous engagements with the airline.
According to the labour groups, the picketing became necessary after several attempts to resolve the disputes through dialogue failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.
They said the action was intended to compel Air Peace to respect workers’ rights, fulfil its financial obligations to the aviation regulator and resolve other outstanding grievances.
The ongoing picketing is expected to affect Air Peace flight schedules and operations at the Lagos and Abuja airports, with passengers advised to expect disruptions as the industrial action continues.
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