BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
President, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Ogbe John, has delivered a strong Workers’ Day message, praising aviation employees for keeping Nigeria’s airports running while demanding better welfare, fair wages and urgent government intervention in the sector.
In his May Day address, the union leader hailed airport workers across the country as the invisible force behind safe and efficient air travel.
“Today, May 1st, we stand together — from the runway to the terminal — to celebrate the hands and minds that keep Nigerians and the world flying,” he said.
He paid tribute to aviation professionals whose work often goes unnoticed.
“When passengers sleep in the aircraft, the air traffic controller is awake. When families reunite at arrivals, it’s because baggage handlers, cleaners and check-in staff did their job. When planes land safely in rain or harmattan, it’s because engineers, the fire service and the ground crew refuse to cut corners.”
He added: “You all are at the airport. Without you, there is no aviation. No takeoff. No landing. No connection.”
Despite their critical role, Ogbe said many aviation workers are grappling with harsh economic realities as rising inflation continues to erode incomes.
“Our naira is still sick. Food goes up. But salaries too, are not flying, but often stay on the ground. The aviators are suffering in silence,” he declared.
He called for a living wage that reflects both the risks aviation workers face and the rising cost of living in 2026.
The ATSSSAN president also condemned the widespread use of contract and casual labour in the industry, insisting that airports should not be used as testing grounds for insecure employment practices.
“The airport should be a no-go area for casual workers experimentation. Contract staffing too must systematically be phased out,” he said.
According to him, the union’s motto remains “Dignity and Safety,” stressing that workers cannot guarantee safety in the skies without dignity on the ground.
On industry challenges, Ogbe raised concern over the persistent rise in the cost and scarcity of aviation fuel, Jet A-1, warning that the crisis threatens the survival of airlines and the wider economy.
He urged the Nigeria government to convene stakeholders urgently and create a credible intervention framework to stabilise fuel prices.
“The sky must be kept safe, and Nigerians must continue to fly, especially in the face of insecurity on our roads,” he said.
Ogbe also renewed calls for the payment of outstanding entitlements owed to former staff of Nigeria Airways, saying many retirees have died waiting for their benefits.
“Our senior citizens continue to die in their closets without receiving their benefits, while their approved ₦36 billion is unconscionably locked in bureaucratic ineptitude,” he lamented.
On labour rights, he warned aviation employers against frustrating unionisation efforts, insisting that workers have a constitutional right to belong to unions of their choice.
“Aviators should not be made to beg to enjoy the right to belong to a union of their choice,” he said.
Addressing employers and government agencies, he added: “We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for fairness. Pay us on time. Insure us fully. Listen when we report safety issues.”
He warned that overworked, underpaid or ignored workers could pose safety risks to passengers.
“When an airport worker is tired, overworked, underpaid, or ignored, every passenger is at risk.”
Closing his speech, Ogbe called for unity among workers and praised their sacrifices.
“Nigeria moves because you do not stop. No retreat! No surrender!!”
He wished all aviation workers a happy Workers’ Day, declaring: “Safe skies! Safe workers! Safe Nigeria!”
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
