Labour Storms Lagos Airport, Shuts Down Agencies To Enforce Strike

ADS 300px;height:250px

The organised labour on Thursday shut down offices of aviation agencies at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos to press home their demands for the implementation of a new National Minimum Wage. However, this action did not affect flight operations at the nation’s busiest airport as airlines and passengers went about their respective businesses without harassment from the unions.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and the United Labour Congress had called for the warning strike over non-implementation of the National Minimum Wage. Their affiliates in the aviation sector, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the National Union of Air Transport Employees and the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals had shut down the agencies in compliance with the directive. The union members had at the early hours of Thursday barricaded the offices of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

Also shut down were the headquarters of the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority at the Lagos airport. Commenting, Mr. Frances Akinjole, the Deputy General Secretary, ATSSSAN, told NAN that unions in the sector only carried out a “light” action. According to him, this is because we are currently engaging on another important assignment outside Lagos.