Labour Unions' Protest Paralyses Movement at Lagos Airport

 

The link road connecting domestic and international terminals of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMIA) Lagos was on Tuesday blocked when labour unions clashed with men of the Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS), causing heavy traffic gridlock in the area.

The police officers were alleged to have intervened in the attempt of the unions to picket Caverton Helicopters over issues relating to staff welfare, but the roadblock subjected airport users and air travellers to gruesome gridlock that led to some passengers missing their flight.

Eyewitness account alleged that about 14 members of the protesting unions were whisked away by officials of the RRS who insisted that their picketing was illegal, while some of them were allegedly hospitalised thereafter as a result of the various injuries sustained from the brutality of the police.

One of the union leaders, who identified himself as Paul Igene, alleged that the union members were assaulted because Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was due to fly with one of the helicopters of the company on Tuesday.

He alleged that when its members queried the brutality meted out to its members by the RRS officials, they claimed that it was an order from above.

Igene said the three unions-Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE)-had been in discussion with the management of Caverton Helicopter on terminal benefits, redundancy payment and other welfare issues in the past one year, but according to the unions, the management had been dillydallying on the issue.

He explained that after faltering for almost a year, the management of the helicopter company finally agreed to ensure rightful payment to the workers, which elapsed on March 31, 2019, but management again failed to fulfill its promise to the workers.

Igene alleged that during the crisis, the vehicles of the unions were towed away and damaged in the process, noting that the unions would kick against such attack on its members and leaderships by the company.

But an official of Caverton, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the unions are not really fighting for the welfare of the workers of the company because if they really care for the workers, they should have allowed the company to carry on its activities, “generate revenue and take care of its staff. We see this as regular blackmail by the unions but we won't talk because we don’t want to incur their wrath. “Companies who employed and are paying their workers should be encouraged and not frustrated.”