Bi-Courtney Reacts as Aviation Unions Picket MMA2 over Sack of 37 Staff

Femi Ashekun/

Members of all the trade unions in the aviation industry this morning started protesting at the entrance of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2) in Lagos over alleged improper sack of 37 staff by the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), who are the operators of the domestic terminal.

The protest, which has grounded activities at the terminal, followed a warning issued to BASL by the leadership of the aviation unions, yesterday, that their members would start picketing the terminal from today if the decision was not rescinded.

A video obtained by Newsmakerslive.org shows the union members blocking the entrance to the terminal while singing solidarity songs to express their grievances.

See video:

Sources told Newsmakerslive.org that protesters, among whom were the 37 affected BASL staff, vowed to continue with the protest until their demands are met.

It was learned that only three airlines, Ibom Airlines, United Airlines, and Valujet Airlines, have been able to operate single flights each before the protest commenced this morning.

“As we speak, no other flight has been able to operate from the terminal as the protesters are preventing intending passengers from gaining access into the terminal,” a source disclosed.

The unions are accusing BASL management of terminating the employment of the 37 staff without recourse to due process.

At a news conference in Lagos, the leadership of the unions said the 37 sacked staff, who were predominately union and exco members, were initially placed on a compulsory 10-day leave, adding that it was when the union responded with a 7-day ultimatum to withdraw the forced leave and settle the exit pays, that BASL terminated their appointments via email.

Deputy Secretary General, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Frances Akinjole, said, this was not the first time the management of BASL had taken such a step in laying off staff with following due pr.

According to him, since the signing of the staff Conditions of Service (CoS) for members on the 16th of June, 2021, after prolonged negotiation with the management of BASL, their members have been contending with threats, dismissals, and intimidation.

“A situation occurred sometime in the year 2018 when some set of workers in Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) were sacked for expressing their constitutional right of becoming members of a trade union. Series of intimidation of union members continued in the company”.

Also, the Deputy National President of ATSSSAN, Comrade Emmanuel Jaja, said despite a series of meetings held with the management of the terminal, it was discovered that BASL management had not been sincere in adhering to the agreements reached.

“ATSSSAN is not against any employer in doing whatever they want to do but the issue is, you want to downsize, the right size, redundancy but because of the agreement we have courtesy demand that you should call us, let us sit down. We cannot say no. The issue is that you should go back and follow the due process”.

Leaders of other aviation unions present at the news conference, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), said they were awaiting the management of the BASL to hold talks with them on the matter before deciding on what their next step would be.

But, in its reaction to the development, BASL described the protest as illegal, while insisting that the sack of the affected workers was done in accordance with the law.

In a memo addressed to all staff, dated October 31, and titled, ‘Threat by the Union to Picket the Airport from 1st November 2022,’ BASL management warned staff members against taking part in an unlawful protest.

The memo is also copied key stakeholders, including Airline Operators of Nigeria; the Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command; all airlines operating from the terminal; the Director of SSS, Lagos State; the Director General, NCAA, and the Managing Director, FAAN.

The memo, signed by Oluwatosin Onalaja, Head of Corporate Communications, reads, “Dear valued members of staff, Management has just received a letter from Airport Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN) calling its members working at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) not to work from 1st November 2022. The reason given is that the appointments of certain members of staff were terminated.

“We wish to state categorically that we have complied with all laws on the disengagement of staff. The insistence of the union that we should operate the new conditions of service which was signed in June 2021, and by the agreement, the severance pay will be operational at least 5 years from the date of the signing as that will be the date the first payment will be due is unlawful and illegal as there is no provision in the agreement that the agreement shall operate retrospectively.

“We appreciate that under the law, unions cannot insist on going on strike for unlawful causes. We appeal to all members of staff that they should do their jobs normally as provided by their contracts of employment.

“We also state that participating in the strike that is for an unlawful purpose is against the laws of Nigeria and exposes every participant to a charge of disturbing or interfering with the lawful business of the company.

“We must re-iterate that throughout the negotiations which have gone on for a while the unions insisted on following the letters of the agreement. We are thus surprised that they are now seeking to refine some of the content of an agreement fully signed.”

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