Minister’s roadmap: FAAN workers threaten to down tools

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

There were indication yesterday that staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has concluded plans to down tools, following what they call a delay in the implementation of various agreement reached between the workers and the management.

The staff, who defiled the early morning downpour in Lagos, gathered at the Freedom Square of the agency, demanding for the implementation for the implementation of the five point agenda.

The leadership of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, who address the staff demanded for the full implementation of the agreement and threaten to begin strike by June 30.

The workers’ demands include the prompt payment of pensions and gratuities, the payment of 27 per cent balance minimum wage, the proper placement of all newly recruited staff in accordance with the civil service rules and scheme of service, and the 2013 and 2014 implementation of promotion of staff and renewed condition of service for workers.

General-Secretary, NUATE, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo told reporters the FAAN management are yet to fulfill its own portion of the contract reached between the duo.

However, spokesman for FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati said the management is looking into the issue and will meet its own portion of the bargain soon.

“We are partners in progress with the unions and the Managing Director of FAAN has been part and parcel of the unions in the past three decades. He has been in the system for over 30 years and probably that was why immediately he resumed office, he held a meeting with the unions. So, he is aware of these requests and he is going to sit down with the other management team to look at the best way to resolve them.”

Dati said “we are also part of the unions because the growth of the unions at the end of the day is what is bringing us together. The unions want the growth of the industry and we also want the same. The Managing Director, I believe, will look at those demands and we will sit with them and make our positions known. I want to reemphasis that the Managing Director being a part of them is also conscious that we need the workers to move the sector forward and he’s going to ensure that all the issues that have been raised are going to be addressed.”

However, sources said the management has concluded plans to carry out promotion exercise for deserving staff and that letters has been circulated to that effect.