The Nation Newspaper

Tag: United Labour Congress (ULC)

  • Aviation unions disrupt Arik Air operations 

    Aviation unions disrupt Arik Air operations 

    … As management vows to take measures against illegal interference

     

     

    Three aviation unions comprising of United Labour Congress (ULC), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) on Thursday disrupted the operations of Arik Air.

    The union members arrived the headquarters of the airline as early as 4.00 am to literally to ground the operations of the airline.

    The union members carried out the picketing exercise despite   heavy police presence barricading entrance into the headquarters of the airline.

    A source hinted that under the instruction of the United Labour Congress, oil marketers were directed not to supply Jet A1 (Aviation fuel) to the airline as part of measures to press home their demands.

    The unions are picketing operations of the troubled Arik Air over the failure of the airline’s management to re-instate sacked union leaders and several other issues in the airline.

    Meanwhile, new management of Arik Air has threatened to take every legal measure at its disposal to stop any illegal interference on its operations.

    The new management of Arik Air while condemning the picketing of the airline, by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE),  Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and  National Association of Aircraft Pilot and Engineers (NAAPE),   described it as illegal.

    A statement by the media consultant to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON on Arik Air, Simon Tumba stated that the motive of the picketing is unclear to management as the action of the unions is illegal.

    In his words: “It has come to the attention of the Arik Management, (under Receivership), that the Lagos State branch of National Union of Air Transport Employees  (NUATE),  Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and  National Association of Aircraft Pilot and Engineers (NAAPE)  has directed their members to picket Arik airline.

    We hasten to say that the motive of this picketing is unclear to Management and their action is therefore illegal”.

    Tumba explained further that: “It is a well-known fact that Arik is under Receivership following various challenges experienced over the last few years, which include delays and cancellations of flights, delays in payment of salaries and huge debts to trade creditors and suppliers, bad corporate governance and a host of others”.

    According to Tumba “In exercise of its statutory powers under the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) act a Receiver was appointed over the affairs of Arik Air on February 6, 2017. With the assistance of AMCON, salaries are being paid including backlogs, on time performance has improved from 15 percent to average of 80percent and fuel suppliers that hitherto quit doing business with Arik are happily doing business with the airline.

    “For the record, the management had engaged with its staff and is convinced that there is no reason to picket our airline, which is facing challenging times.

    “The focus of the Arik Air management is to stabilise the operations of the airline and enhance its ability to play a positive role in Nigeria’s aviation industry. Therefore the Management of the airline advises the unions to steer clear from undermining the operations of Arik Air. Management would take every legal measure at its disposal to stop any illegal interference with its operations.”

     

     

  • Xenophobic attacks: Nigerian, South African labour unions to meet

    Nigerian trade union, United Labour Congress (ULC) has said plans are underway for talks with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) over the recent attacks of black foreigners in that country.

    COSATU is the largest of South Africa’s three labour federations, with 1.8million members from 21 affiliated trade unions.

    ULC national president, Joe Ajaero, stated this in Lagos yesterday at the ULC’s inaugural Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

    Ajaero, who condemned the “xenophobic attacks” urged all South African trade unions to speak out against the attacks, saying they were evidence of “misplaced aggression.”

    “COSATU should speak out, though the ULC is putting in place modalities for reaching out to our comrades in that nation for positive steps in building better relations between our citizens,” Ajaero said.

    The ULC lamented the “looming crisis of hunger and hardship” in the country, but

    commended the federal government’s “current efforts to protect the naira” and urged a “more sustainable action to sanitise the Foreign Exchange market.

    It also advised the government to revive or build new, especially modular refineries as well as to consider legalising illegal refining in the Niger Delta as a way out of the foreign exchange sapping petroleum products importation.

  • NLC president urges calm over inauguration of parallel union

    NLC president urges calm over inauguration of parallel union

    The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, has sued for calm among members of the union in the face of the latest threat to its unity.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Wabba promised that the leadership of the union would do all within its power to preserve the unity of the country’s labour movement.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wabba spoke in reaction to an attempt by some labour leaders to form a parallel body known as United Labour Congress (ULC).

    Promoters of the ULC, who announced their plans in Lagos on Saturday, elected an executive with Mr Joe Ajaero, General Secretary, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), as President.

    Wabba said that Ajaero and Igwe Achese, the President, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Worker (NUPENG), who emerged Deputy President of ULC, were behind the breakaway attempt.

    “ The congress will like to assure our members across the country and the general public that the leadership of the NLC is committed to the unity of the working class in the country notwithstanding the latest declaration by Ajaero and Achese.

    “We shall do everything within our power to preserve the unity and coherence of the labour movement which was handed down to us by our forebears in the movement.

    “ The congress wish to assure all our members including those of NUEE, NUPENG and others listed as having attended the alleged launch of the new centre that the NLC will continue to provide protection for them.

    “We will ensure that their leaders do not, out of their consuming ambition to be leaders of a ‘national centre’, lead them into the wilderness,’’ he said.

    The NLC president also vowed to ensure that no member was pulled out of the congress without their consent.

    He said that the relevant organs of the NLC would soon meet to review the latest challenge posed to the unity of the congress.