Aviation unions set for two-day warning strike against planned merger

Aviation unions on Sunday in Lagos said they would be going on a two-day national warning strike over the recent merger plan by the Federal Government of some agencies in the industry.
The unions are the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the National Union of Air Transport Employees and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had planned to merge the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
The National President of ATSSSAN, Benjamin Okewu, said the unions were currently meeting to take their stands, confirming that the National Executive Council meeting of the unions would be scheduled for sometime in May.
Okewu said: “ATSSSAN has concluded plans to get the endorsement of the strike from all its organs as its National Administrative Council Meeting and the National Executive Council meeting are scheduled for May.
“We have put our members on red alert in preparation for the two-day warning strike aimed at paralysing the country’s aviation sector.”
Okewu said that the unions vowed to close down airports across the country as the warning strike would be the first of its kind in the country.
He, however, said that the unions have written to the National Assembly, the Presidency and the National Security Adviser over the planned strike.
The president added that the unions have also itemised reasons why government should not go ahead with its plan on the merger.