The nation’s airspace may be shut on Monday as four aviation unions have declared support for the planned nationwide strike and mass protest called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The four unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals.
The unions, in a statement on Friday, directed workers in the aviation sector to withdraw their services from Monday, September 28.
By joining the strike, the workers may stay away from their offices and consequently the airspace may not be open for operations on Monday.
The statement reads, “As you are aware, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have declared indefinite nationwide strike action with effect from Monday, September 28, 2020,” the statement read.
“Our unions as above named are in full support of the strike action.
“As such all workers in the aviation sector are hereby directed to withdraw their services at all aerodromes nationwide as from 00hrs of 28th September 2020 until otherwise communicated by the NLC/TUC or our unions.
“All workers shall comply.”
The NLC is protesting the removal of fuel subsidy and the recently implemented cost-reflective electricity tariff.
Other unions that have announced their intention to join the strike are Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Friday secured an ex parte injunction from the National Industrial Court stopping the planned strike by the NLC and TUC
Justice Ibrahim Galadima of the National Industrial Court issued the order on Friday following an ex parte application by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The order restrained the NLC and TUC from embarking on the nationwide strike from Monday, September 28, 2020.
Justice Galadima had also on Thursday issued the same restraining ex parte order for Peace and Unity Ambassadors Association.
He granted an order of interim injunction restraining the NLC and TUC, their officers, affiliates, and privies from embarking on any strike or stoppage of work in whatsoever form described on 28th September 2020.
It also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the Unions, their officers, affiliates, privies or howsoever described from disrupting, picketing or preventing the workers or its affiliates or ordinary Nigerians from accessing their offices to carry out their legitimate duties on the 28th September 2020 or any other subsequent date pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
The NLC had handed down a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse the price hike or face industrial action from next week Monday.
The TUC had also mobilized its affiliate members to participate in the proposed strike.
The NLC said the petrol price increase, whether perpetrated under the guise of ‘full deregulation’ or ‘removal of fuel subsidy,’ had eroded the gain of the recent increase in national minimum wage as the new petrol price has induced a spiral wave of inflation in the price of goods and services, thus further deepening the misery of Nigerians.
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