Aviation union kicks against conversion of Arik Air to Eagle airline

The National Union of Air Transport Employees ,NUATE, yesterday called on the federal government to explain its  alleged decision to commence the movement of assets, including personnel, of Arik Air under receivership of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria , AMCON,  to a proposed NG Eagle Airline without the resolution of all labour related matters. According to NUATE scribe, Ocheme Aba, while the union  welcome the proposed set up of a new airline because of job creation the venture would attract, it however believe  that what should ordinarily be ” a lofty project will likely run into a heavy storm being created by a thoroughly fouled and convoluted industrial atmosphere at Arik Air.”

Ocheme Aba said “We consider it most unfortunate that an odd combination of AMCON’s egoistic, evasive and self-defeating tendencies on the one hand, and Arik Air’s unrelenting penchant for courting crisis on the other hand, as well as severally demonstrated lack of capacity/disdain for labour relations practice have evoked a perplexing atmosphere of atmosphere of forlornness in the airline. Under this atmosphere, it is practically impossible to be hopeful of any good thing. Hence, our misgivings concerning NG Eagle”.

According to him, “AMCON and the management of Arik have arrogated to themselves the powers to probate and reprobate on all issues pertaining to status of employees in this ingenious business melodrama, with complete disregard to subsisting collective bargaining agreements and relevant labour laws. Is NUATE expected to cheer them on to the neglect of its responsibilities and obligations to its members in the airline?

“If this conundrum by AMCON will lead to depopulation of the employed and increase in poverty, as is clearly established, shouldn’t one wonder why the Government and its relevant agencies appear to either be acquiescent or in actual aid of the furtherance of the obnoxious objective? Are we permitted to ask of our leaders the rationale behind the uninhibited aiding and abetting of this social-economic criminality”, he  asked.