The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has urged the federal government to warn the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against deploying mob mentality to interfere in aviation activities.
The managing director of the agency, Capt Rabiu Yadudu made the call at the weekend while reacting to the union’s disruption of flights and other activities at the Murtala Muhammed Airport last Wednesday, May 3.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had stormed the airport where the picketed Owerri-bound flights, in protest against alleged anti-labour activities in Imo State.
The unionists invaded the airport terminal and disrupted Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines flights to Owerri as well as other activities at the airport.
It was gathered that the unions had an altercation with the Imo State government on May Day following alleged state-sponsored thugs invading the workers’ parade venue to disrupt civil proceedings.
In turn, the NLC and TUC had at an emergency joint central working committee meeting directed members in the aviation sector to paralyse flight to Imo State beginning from midnight of last Wednesday.
Addressing journalists on the issue, Yadudu described the unions’ action as “disappointing” and called on the NLC in particular to steer clear of aviation.
“We have written to the minister. Airports are not avenues for people to come and exercise mob action and violent behaviour. NLC should stay away from aviation. I didn’t say stay away from FAAN or airports; I said stay away from aviation.
“If they stay away from aviation, it’s good for all of us. So long as they keep on picketing, they should stay away. We don’t need it; we need stakeholder confidence.
“Without the confidence that you will always come in and get service, nobody will come. If the industry is killed through lack of confidence, lack of employment, what happens? It is Nigeria that will lose. So, NLC should stay away from aviation.” he said.
He said what the NLC did was borne out of selfishness and had nothing to with either workers’ or national interest.
“It’s very disappointing given the fact that the NLC in clear disregard of and with impunity announced their intention, they wrote that their people should come and picket the Lagos Airport and that no flight should go to Owerri because their people were embarrassed by the Imo State governor.
“And that is just an action they premeditatedly planned just to massage their ego. It has nothing to do with FAAN; it has nothing to do with the workers; it has nothing to do with Nigeria.
“And so for any organisation that is licensed by the government, because I don’t think there is any organisation in Nigeria that is operating for themselves; they are all licensed by the government which means there is national interest they serve but what they did had nothing to do with national interest but personal interest.
“It’s very unbecoming; it has nothing to do with labour or workers in Nigeria.
The managing director further said the action caused hardship to aviation workers as well as passengers who might have had business appointments to attend that day.
“It undermined aviation workers and other workers because people missed their flights. The more you stress aviation you are creating vulnerability, lack of employment.
He described aviation as an essential service that should not pander to the whims and caprices of the NLC.
“Aviation, as in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act is an essential service; and in essential services there is no room for picketing or blocking operations because all Nigerians need it. NLC is representing Nigeria but I’m not sure its representing 200 million people; the government is for 200 million. So they should not come to the airport to massage their ego.
“They created illegality and undermined our interest. People saw it; it’s all over the nation, it’s all over the world. It’s very bad, it’s unacceptable. We are not going to tolerate it.
The managing director called on the NLC to evolve its operations because Nigeria and everything have changed over time.
“There are so many other avenues in Nigeria where you can seek for redress; this is not 1970s. Nigeria has evolved; aviation has evolved, everything has evolved. NLC needs to evolve their processes and the ways and means of getting they want.
“Picketing needs to evolve; there is no room for picketing in modern society. Anybody, any organisation that feels that the only way they can get what they need is by making sure others don’t get what they already have don’t deserve getting it,” he added.
He commended the aviation unions for not participating in the picketing because “they understand that this is where they earn their livelihood.”
