Due to industrial action called by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the Federal Government’s unwillingness to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000, travellers were left stuck at airports in Abuja and Lagos early on Monday morning.
Following a deadlock in the leadership meetings between the NLC and NUC and the National Assembly to reach a resolution, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) instructed their members to join the strike on Sunday.
Early on Monday morning, they obeyed the order, causing aviation operations at several airports around the nation to cease.
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In order to catch the first flight on Monday, a domestic airline executive informed reporters that he arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja as early as six in the morning.
“I got to the airport at 6.a.m, checked in, got to the departure lounge and it was scanty with very few people. Air Peace was making their first boarding call. They were midway into the call when they were stopped and the departure gate was locked and no one could leave. At about 7.00a.m, Air Peace cancelled their flights and the labour unions came and began shutting off the air conditioners in the departure lounge and everyone left.
“Around 7.15a.m, I left the departure lounge and came outside the terminal building and saw a huge crowd. All the check-in counters of the airlines were shut down, no one was selling tickets and no one was checking in.
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“When I made enquires, I was told that the unions told all the airline staff to leave the terminal building.
“As I speak, everyone is standing outside the terminal building and no one is being allowed to enter. People are standing outside and hoping that there would be a reprieve,” the airline official said.
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