Aviation workers to begin strike over planned

The date of the strike will be decided later.Nigeria’s aviation workers have warned of a two-day warning strike in protest of the federal government’s plan to merge all aviation regulatory bodies in the country, their unions said Sunday.The unions have yet to decide on the timing of the industrial action.The government had approved the recommendations of a presidential committee headed by former head of service, Stephen Oronsaye, for the merger of three aviation agencies: Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA; the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA; and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET.The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, have kicked against the decision.The National President of ATSSSAN, Benjamin Okewu, said the unions were currently meeting to take a stand. He said the National Executive Council meeting of the unions would be scheduled for some time in May.“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,” he said.Mr. 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 said that the unions have written to the National Assembly, the presidency and the National Security Adviser over the planned strike.He added that the unions have also itemised reasons why government should not go ahead with its plan on the merger.(NAN)