Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) has condemned Tuesday’s disruption of services at the terminal by an aviation workers union.
Mr Oluwatosin Onalaja, Head of Corporate Communications, made this known in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) had, on Tuesday, shut down the MMA2 terminal.
The union arrived at the terminal building around 5 a.m. and barricaded both the entry and exit gates, thereby stopping passengers from accessing the terminal.
The union was demanding the reinstatement or pay off of 37 of its members, alleging that they were illegally laid-off by the management of the company without following due process.
Onalaja, in a statement, said the union didn’t issue adequate notice before embarking on its action.
He said the action taken was contrary to laid down principles of industrial relations and total violation of the laws of Nigeria.
“The union brought in members who are not employees of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) to prevent the employees of BASL from working.
“This is also an unlawful action and our relationship is with union members that are our employees and not external members, so this is clearly an illegal action and continues to set a bad precedent in Nigeria.
“The alleged cause of this industrial action is our decision to lay off some of our staff who we consider unproductive.
“It is our inherent right to manage our business in the most prudent manner and we should not be intimidated by external forces as is being done in this case,” he said.
Onalaja revealed that the unions wanted the company to apply the conditions of service which it signed in June 2021 retrospectively, noting that this contradicts the established rules of industrial relations and the laws of Nigeria.
He said the union had disregarded the court order issued by the National Industrial Court on Oct. 31 by its constant disruption of operations of the terminal.
Onalaja expressed the company’s regrets for the inconvenience the union’s actions caused to customers and stakeholders.
