Aviation workers have threatened to embark on strike over the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) management’s alleged non-compliance with the minimum wage agreement and other issues.
The aviation workers, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical, and Recreational Services Employees issued the threat in a joint letter.
In the letter, the unions alleged breaching the terms of an agreement they reached with NiMet on January 28, 2025.
Some of the issues raised by the unions ware NiMet’s failure to negotiate and implement an allowance by the end of February 2025.
The workers accused NiMet of silence over 25 per cent to 35 per cent wage increase. Another issue was the 40 per cent peculiar allowance and the nine months’ outstanding balance of the 2019 minimum wage.
They also expressed disappointment over the non-inclusion of 30 names that were previously omitted from the 2019 minimum wage payment list.
The union said, “We are highly disheartened to note that the management has reneged on its promises to the workers vide the agreement it signed with our uunionson 28th January 2025.
“One and a half months later, the management refused to negotiate, let alone implement, such an allowance. And no possible explanations have been forthcoming from the management over the matter.
“We have reason to suspect foul play as the management despite persistent requests, has refused to release copies of the document due to our unions signatories to the same document.”
The aviation workers accused the management of dragging on the “extremely important and urgent issue of salary relativity, which was reinforced by the support of the minister and expressed dissatisfaction with the agency’s prioritisation of executive retreats over training commitments for senior staff.
“Instead of continuing with GL10-14, we are unhappy that management is rather scheduling another retreat, even as it has just returned from a post-budget retreat and having had a management retreat late last year.
“These stated fragrant infractions on a duly signed collective bargaining agreement are indeed troubling and worrisome. And considering the huge effort and sacrifice invested by our unions averting an industrial crisis through the suspension of the previously scheduled strike, it is a matter of serious regret that the management has so squandered our goodwill.”
Aviation Workers To Shutdown NiMet Over Minimum Wage, Breach Of Agreement is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
