The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has described the petition filed by Air Peace against the union as “ridiculous”, saying the airline also accused several key aviation agencies and security authorities of various wrongdoings.
The workers made the position known after honouring an invitation by the Nigeria Police over the petition, with the union saying it had presented its account of the events surrounding the dispute.
According to a statement sent to aviation workers across the country on Wednesday, the union said the issues raised in the petition had been properly presented during its interaction with the police.
The development followed an industrial dispute between Air Peace and aviation unions over the airline’s alleged refusal to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, as required by law.
The dispute resulted in industrial action on August 11, which grounded Air Peace’s operations at the Lagos and Abuja airports, disrupted passengers’ travel plans and forced many travellers to seek alternative means of transportation.
The dispute also followed an incident involving five Air Peace buses, which were towed into police custody by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria after they were found parked in a manner capable of obstructing airport operations.
The Secretary-General of ATSSSAN, Francis Akinjole, said the union had complied with the police invitation as a responsible organisation.
“I write to inform all that we have done our part to honour the Nigeria Police invitation as a responsible organisation, and we left the Police Headquarters about three hours ago.
“While there, we stated our version of the occurrence of August 11 from our own perspective. The police promised to have similar interactions with every other person or organisation that has things to say about the contents of the petition from the Air Peace lawyer, including Air Peace itself.
“It was ridiculous that the Air Peace petition accused the unions, FAAN, NCAA, the police airport command and almost everyone in the industry of one thing or the other.”
Akinjole said the police could still invite all the parties involved to a meeting aimed at permanently resolving the issues between them.
“It was declared that every party may later be called together for discussion because the aviation industry is a strategic and sensitive sector that must be collectively protected. We were appealed to by the police to maintain peace.”
He also commended the aviation workers for what he described as their “sagacious resolve to stand for justice and stand firm in solidarity,” describing them as “the true heroes and heroines of this struggle.”
