By Mary Onyia
The aviation sector faces fresh disruption as the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) threatens to halt air operations nationwide if police detain its officials and members for longer than it considers necessary. The union is due at the Police Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja, at 11 a.m. today, following a complaint by Air Peace over the August 11 picketing that disrupted flights in Lagos and Abuja.
ATSSSAN General Secretary, Frances Akinjole, said the union would honour the invitation with a “sizable number” of officers and members to present its account of the incident. The police are investigating allegations including conspiracy, threatening violence, inciting disturbance of public peace, assault occasioning harm and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
The union, however, warned that prolonged detention of its officials could immediately affect flight operations across the country.
The dispute arose from aviation unions’ demands over alleged non-remittance of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and workers’ right to unionise, with the August 11 action leaving passengers stranded and severely disrupting Air Peace operations, particularly in Lagos and Abuja.
The latest development shifts the dispute from the industrial-relations arena to law enforcement, raising fears of another aviation shutdown if dialogue fails. Air Peace has maintained that the picketing caused significant operational losses, reportedly running up to N2billion, while ATSSSAN insists its action was lawful and aimed at protecting workers’ interests.
Efforts to get the spokesman of Air Peace, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, to give their side of the story failed, as a text message sent to his phone was left unanswered.