Aviation unions ground flights in Abuja, Lagos over dispute with Air Peace
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) shut down the operations of Air Peace in Abuja and Lagos in the early hours of Tuesday over allegations of blocking workers from unionising and non-remittance of ticket sales charges owed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Passengers were stranded as the unions were led by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and said they had to picket the airline after the warning they gave on August 4, when the unions announced a notice of picketing and declared they were prepared to strike “at any time without further notice.”
Describing the latest move as a gesture of restraint, the unions said they gave the airline many weeks notice to address their grievances.
They alleged some domestic airlines have made it impossible for members of staff to join unions freely, despite repeated efforts by the aviation unions to secure that right.
They said workers are too afraid to even express interest in union membership for fear of discrimination.
The labour unions and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have been locked in a dispute over the non-remittance of the TSC . At the weekend, the unions gave a three-day notice of impending strike, accusing the AON of withholding a 5% charge on ticket sales that is meant to fund the operations of aviation agencies. According to the statement, the non-remittance of these funds has stalled the implementation of collective bargaining agreements already negotiated on behalf of union members.
The statement read: “In relaxing the notice of picketing, dated 4th August 2026 by our unions, with a statement that we were ready to strike at anytime without further notice, we hereby magnanimously issued a 3-day Notice of Strike upon the defaulting domestic airlines principally for the following infractions:
”Making unfettered unionisation of staff in their organisation impossible after several efforts by the aviation unions. Their workers dare not even express the intention to belong to unions of their choices.
”Non-remittance of the already collected, but withheld 5% ticket sales charge, which is the operational fund of the aviation agencies, thereby rendering our members negotiated collective bargaining agreements at the aviation agencies nugatory so far. This continues to breed disgruntled air transport workers; the implication of which is an accident in the waiting!
“We want unequivocal declarations through circulars and other direct means of communication to their staff that they are free to join unions of their choices without fear of victimisation.
“We want an immediate remittance of the seized operational funds of the aviation agencies to allow for the implementation of the conditions of service of our members in the various aviation agencies.”
