BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) has condemned the ongoing strike and picketing of airport terminals by aviation unions, describing the action as disruptive and unnecessary while government mediation is still ongoing.
In a statement signed by its President, the group said it was “deeply appalled” by what it described as the selective nature of the industrial action and its timing despite the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
While acknowledging the unions’ right to fight for the welfare of their members, ASRTI argued that picketing airport terminals over the non-remittance of Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charges (CSC) to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was inappropriate.
It said the enforcement of statutory penalties and recovery of debts owed to regulatory agencies remained the responsibility of government and its authorised institutions, adding that labour unions had overstepped their bounds by disrupting airport operations.
“The rules of engagement and understanding of issues must drive how unions fight or advocate for a cause, not through the use of coercion, intimidation, or disruption,” the statement said.
ASRTI also cited provisions of the Civil Aviation Act and the Trade Disputes Act, arguing that aviation services are essential to national infrastructure and should not be disrupted through strikes, picketing, blockades or other actions that could affect airport operations.
The group maintained that labour disputes should be handled through established mediation and dispute-resolution mechanisms, particularly where government intervention is already underway.
“The ART has maintained severally that disruptive or unbridled labour activism has no place in the aviation sector, which is not only heavily regulated but volatile and sensitive to disruptions,” it said.
ASRTI expressed concern over the impact of airport disruptions on passengers, businesses and Nigeria’s international image, warning that prolonged industrial action could undermine investor confidence in the aviation sector.
“We unequivocally stand against picketing at airport terminals and their immediate environs,” the group said, stressing that disruptions could send negative signals to potential investors and the international community.
The organisation also criticised the unions’ reported plan to picket airlines over outstanding TSC and CSC payments and allegations that some airlines were preventing employees from participating in union activities.
It described the targeting of individual airlines as “abusive” and “arrogant,” arguing that any dispute involving an airline’s internal administration or staff unionisation should be addressed at the company’s corporate headquarters rather than at airports.
ASRTI specifically criticised the reported decision to target Air Peace, describing the move as evidence of bias by a group that claims to promote fairness.
The aviation body called on the unions to immediately halt airport blockades and disruptions and allow the mediation process initiated by the aviation minister to run its course.
“All parties must return to the negotiating table and allow the mediation framework initiated by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to run its course without coercion,” it said.
ASRTI further urged regulatory agencies and airlines to resolve outstanding debts through established legal and administrative channels, stressing that passengers and other innocent operators should not bear the consequences of disputes between regulators, airlines and labour unions.
The group appealed to the unions to “tow the path of honour” by allowing due process to prevail in resolving the dispute rather than resorting to what it described as disruptive and unwarranted self-help.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
