A’Ibom air transport workers strike over welfare

Workers at Ibom International Airport have
proceeded on industrial action over Akwa
Ibom State Government refusal to pay them
salaries that are commensurate with what are
obtainable in the aviation sector nationwide.

The workers, who protested under the
auspices of Nigerian Union of Air Transport
Employees, NUATE, in Okobo on Monday,
revealed that the government has also
declined to regularise the appointment of
some of their members who have been
working since the facility was inaugurated in
2010.

It was learnt that NUATE and other affiliate
unions at the airport, call out their members
for the strike so as to call government
attention on the need to fulfill the agreement
it reached with the union last year.

"This morning, workers at the airport resolved
to embark on industrial action because the
Akwa Ibom State Government has refused to
heed to their demands of better welfare
package; non-payment of salaries
commensurate with aviation industry scale
and casualisation of labour," a member of the
security unit, who refused to disclose his
name, told our correspondent.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr.
Emmanuel Enoidem, asked the workers to go
back to their work, assuring them that the
state government would address their
grievances as soon as possible.

It was, however, gathered that since the
inauguration of the airport in 2010, by the
state governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio,
workers' outcry over the state government's
non-commitment to their welfare, has been a
regular feature.

The governor; the Chairman of the Airport
Implementation Committee, Air Commodore
(rtd) Idongesit Nkanaga, and other
stakeholders in government, have on many
occasions intervened on the matter, but
lasting solution often seems to be far-fetched.

The strike paralysed activities at the airport
as passengers were seen stranded for many
hours yesterday morning.

Posted By David Aniemeka