BEVERLY HILLS, December 14, (THEWILL) – Aviation unions and workers of Aero Monday, declared the chairperson of the board of the airline and other members brought in by Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) persona non grata for allegedly mismanaging the airline and refusing to review the over eight years old organogram that had outlived its usefulness.
The workers led by Benjamin Okewu, president, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and Olayinka Abioye, general secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and other union members, staged a peaceful protest about the manner the airline was being managed, thereby declaring the board members and management persona non grata.
The over 800 workers marched in and around the premises of the airline at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, singing solidarity songs and calling for the immediate implementation of a new structure, better management, and failure to do this, the board must resign.
Speaking with journalists, Okewu stated the work force of the oldest airline in the country was over 1,000, adding that if the workers allowed the mismanagement currently going on to continue, the over 1,000 workers in the airline would be affected.
“If that happens, the multiplier effect would be great because of their dependants,” he pointed out, adding that as it is today, the unions are not ready to cooperate with management of Aero on the matter.
The ATSSSAN president said that efforts to partner aviation entities in the past to resolve workers’ issues had failed, adding that from records what the companies understood was industrial action.
The new structure of Aero, which has been prepared should be signed and implemented, failing the management should resign.
The ATSSSAN president alleged that the management was conniving with the board of the airline to mismanage the airline.
“AMCON is not concerned about the survival of Aero. If AMCON is concerned about the survival of Aero, it should give us professionals that are good and have pedigree in airline management,” he said.
