Employees of Air Peace have distanced themselves from the ongoing industrial action by aviation industry unions, saying the picketing of the airline does not represent their views or interests.
The workers spoke as the industrial action continued to disrupt flight operations in Lagos and Abuja, leaving passengers stranded at the affected airports.
A spokesman for the employees, Comrade Aminu Suleiman, said Air Peace workers had deliberately chosen not to participate in the action because they had established channels for engaging with the airline’s management.
Suleiman said employees had been involved in the company’s affairs since its establishment and had not considered union representation necessary.
“In the 12 years since the inception of Air Peace, employees of the airline had always had a voice in the running of the company and had no need to join the industrial union,” he said.
He also stressed that workers had the constitutional right to decide whether to belong to a trade union.
“We can choose to join or not. It’s not by force. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, guarantees the freedom of association,” Suleiman said.
He further cited the constitution of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), arguing that union membership was voluntary.
“Section 12 of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) constitution also specifically states that membership of the union is voluntary,” he added.
The workers said they were satisfied with the benefits provided by Air Peace and questioned the need for external union representation.
“What do we need unionism for? For 12 years, we have been getting our salaries regularly. We have HMO. The airlines that were unionised, where are they today? They had no HMO, and the unions could not secure severance benefits for them,” Suleiman said, drawing applause from fellow workers.
The employees also accused the unions of attempting to create division between Air Peace management and its workforce, insisting that their decision to stay away from the picketing was voluntary.
They urged members of the public not to associate Air Peace workers with the ongoing industrial action, maintaining that the employees were satisfied with the existing mechanisms for addressing workplace concerns.
The development comes amid a dispute between Air Peace and aviation labour unions, including the 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).
The unions, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and TUC, have been picketing Air Peace over allegations including violations of workers’ rights to unionise and failure to remit certain ticket sales charges to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The action has resulted in the barricading of terminal entrances at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Terminals 1 and 2 in Lagos, as well as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The disruption has grounded Air Peace flights at the affected airports and left passengers unable to board their scheduled flights.
