Aviation, Railway Unions Direct members to join Wednesday strike

Three leading unions in the Nigerian aviation industry and Nigerian railways have directed their members to join the planned Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), starting from Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

The unions vowed not to suspend the action until their parent body; NLC says otherwise.

A circular by the three unions; the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) said that as the affiliate of NLC, it was necessary for their members to join the planned strike.

The circular was signed by Comrade Ocheme Aba; General Secretary, NUATE, Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu; General Secretary, ANAP and Comrade Umoh Ofonime, Deputy General Secretary, NAAPE.

• The circular read in part: “As you are aware, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed nationwide protests among the present regime of subsidy removal, which has wrecked untold hardship on workers and the common people.
• “Accordingly, as affiliates of NLC, all state councils and branches of the above-named trade unions are hereby directed to fully join the respective state councils of all Nigeria Labour Congress in all states of Nigeria, starting on August 2, 2023, for the protest.”

Also, a letter by Nigeria Union of Railwaymen (NUR), dated July 31, 2023, and signed by Comrade Segun Esan, its General Secretary, addressed to the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), copied Commissioner of Police, NRC Police Command and several others, said that it would join the strike.

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The letter directed the NRC management to fully comply with the action by suspending all operations and keeping all trains at stabling effective from the zero-zero hour to Wednesday 2nd August, 2023 until such a time that the upcoming nationwide protests are suspended.

It also advised the NRC management to mobilise its Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Man O’ War, and other security apparatus under its control to secure all the fixed and movable assets of the corporation, particularly the workshops, motive power, and rolling stocks.

It also urged the management to lock up all its offices, workshops, and premises across the system, stressing that there would be no admittance whatsoever to the same throughout the days of the nationwide street actions.

It also directed its organs from districts/states to commence with immediate effect massive mobilisation and organising of the entire workers of the corporation to maximally participate in the nationwide protests by working with state councils, other trade union affiliates, and other organisations for effectiveness and success.

• The letter added: “The union organs and members are implored to make visual/movie and pictorial documentation of their participation in the nationwide protests/street actions for dissemination on our union members’ various WhatsApp and other social platforms for references.
• “For our collective recollections: these nationwide protests/street actions starting from Wednesday, 2nd August 2023 are all spontaneously consequent upon the sudden steep in the fuel pump price from N185.00 to N617.00 upon removal of fuel subsidy with attendant spiralling effects on the livability of the working class and the masses; increase in Value Added Tax (VAT), increase in tertiary school fees; et al by the Federal Government.”