The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative is deeply appalled by the disruptive and selective strike organized by labour unions today in utter disregard of the ongoing intervention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

President of ARTSI,Air Commodore  Ademola Onitiju(rtd) in a statement said while his Organisation recognizes the unions right to advocate for the welfare of their membership under universally accepted principles, picketing airport terminals over the non remittance of Ticket Sales Charges and Cargo Sales Charges to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is completely out of order.

According to him, enforcement of statutory penalties and the recovery of debts owed to regulatory agencies remain the exclusive statutory mandate of the Federal Government and its empowered institutions, and the Nigerian Labour Congress and its allies have clearly overstepped their bounds.

The rules of engagement and understanding of issues must drive how unions fight or advocate for a cause, not through the use of coercion, intimidation, or disruption.

“These actions directly contravene core tenets of Nigerian law designed to protect critical national infrastructure. Under Section 29 of the Civil Aviation Act, all services facilitating safe flight operations, passenger embarkation, and cargo handling within aerodromes are explicitly designated as essential services, strictly prohibiting strikes, lockouts, pickets, blockades, or service disruptions of any kind within regulated aviation facilities.”

Furthermore, pursuant to Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act, he continued, declaring or participating in a strike while a trade dispute is actively undergoing official mediation or before statutory dispute resolution procedures have been exhausted is explicitly illegal.

He explained that under Nigerian labour jurisprudence, trade union membership is strictly voluntary, and coercing, intimidating, or targeting employees or selecting individual corporate entities for disruptive blockades violates the constitutional freedom of association.

The ART has maintained severally that disruptive or unbridled labour activism has no place in the aviation sector, which is not only heavily regulated but volatile and sensitive to disruptions.

“We unequivocally stand against picketing at airport terminals and their immediate environs. Travel disruptions are not only distressing for passengers who have paid for the services but send negative signals about Nigerian aviation to potential investors and the international community.”

“We also perceive the unions press release threatening to picket airlines owing the Ticket Sales Charges and Cargo Sales Charges and those perceived to be hindering their staff from participating in union activities as not only abusive but arrogant. “

Commodore Onitiju indicated that any airline perceived to be hindering their staff during a strike or picketing should be approached at their corporate head office, not in or around the sensitive airports where other businesses are disrupted.

“Premeditatively singling out Air Peace Airline for disruptive picketing shows clear bias from a group that claims to preach fairness.”

To secure the integrity of the nation’s airspace, protect the traveling public, and restore investor confidence,he noted, a constructive way forward must be embraced by all parties.

“ Labour unions must immediately halt all blockades and disruptions at airport terminals, ensuring that any grievances regarding internal corporate administration or staff unionization are pursued strictly through appropriate corporate headquarters or legal channels away from sensitive security zones. “

He advised that all parties must return to the negotiating table and allow the mediation framework initiated by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to run its course without coercion.

The retired Air Force officer posited that regulatory debt recovery must remain strictly between the regulatory authority and the respective carriers via established legal and administrative mechanisms, insulating the wider traveling public and innocent operators from collateral disruption.

“The ART hereby urges restraint and requests that the unions tow the path of honour by allowing due process for the resolution of disputes by the appropriate authorities rather than resorting to disruptive and unwarranted self help.