June 2, 2012 by Oyetunji Abioye
Air Nigeria’s domestic and regional flights were
disrupted on Friday as the carrier’s pilots and aircraft engineers
embarked on strike.
However, the airline’s international flights, especially London operated on schedule.
The pilots under the aegis National Association of
Aircraft Pilots and Engineers claimed that the decision to ‘down tools
indefinitely’ followed the airline’s failure to honour an agreement it
earlier made with the union.A letter by NAAPE to Air Nigeria management
on the matter listed delayed salaries among other issues as reasons for
the industrial action.
Air Nigeria, however, said that the strike was
embarked upon by a section of its aircraft pilots and engineers under
the umbrella of NAAPE.
A statement by the Media Relations Manager, Air
Nigeria, Mr. Sam Ogbogoro, said the pilots embarked on the strike
without following laid down procedures.
He said, “The unfortunate action which is coming
without due exploitation of the laid down avenues of negotiations have
led to a temporary grounding of our domestic and regional operations.”
“The strike action is uncalled for and a cheap
blackmail by NAAPE as only one hour notice was given before the strike
action was embarked upon. This, to say the least, is an unacceptable
behavior in the aviation industry and management is of the view that
NAAPE is acting under external influence.”
Air Nigeria said it regretted the inconveniences the
development had caused its passengers and assured that the issued would
be resolved as quickly as possible.
SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 2 June 2012.
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