Activities return to airport as unions vacate premises

Passengers and vehicle movements have returned to Lagos airport as aviation unions who had earlier blocked the airport terminals, have vacated the premises.

BusinessDay had earlier reported that local and international passengers travelling from Lagos airport on Monday morning had to walk to the airport with their load as aviation unions block all roads leading to the airport.

All roads leading to the airport including Ikeja and Maryland were on Monday morning blocked over the strike action by the aviation unions.

Passengers on Monday morning were seen in their numbers alighting from cars and buses with their loads on their heads to the airport terminal to catch their flights.

The unions who blocked strategic areas and entrances to the terminal with their vehicles were seen singing and chanting solidarity songs and insisting the strike would continue if their demands were not being addressed.

However, investigations by BusinessDay show that flights have been taking off and landing at the airport since morning as passengers were allowed to enter the terminals to board their flights.

The aviation unions had however vacated the airport premises by 12 noon, as vehicular movements again returned and passengers accessed the terminal buildings seamlessly.

Aviation Unions had yesterday said there would be no going back on the total showdown of aviation activities in the country on Monday and Tuesday.

They had also urged passengers to make alternate plans.

The unions had earlier in a notice to their members across airports in the country and aviation agencies issued a two-day warning strike to press home their demands for workers entitlements.

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Their demands include approval and implementation of the agreement Condition of Service, (CoS), as agreed between them and the agencies by the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Others are; non-implementation of minimum wage consequential adjustments and arrears for the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMet since 2019 and the planned demolition exercise of all the agency buildings in Lagos by the Minister of Aviation for an airport city project.

The scribes of the unions are the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees are currently meeting in Lagos to mobilize for tomorrow’s commencement of the two-day warning strike.

The strike action is expected to continue on Tuesday.