Aviation unions petition FG over sack of 37 NCAT staff

Aviation unions in the Nigerian aviation industry have petitioned the Federal Government over the sack of 37 staff school teachers from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State by the management. The unions; National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National […]

Aviation unions in the Nigerian aviation industry have petitioned the Federal Government over the sack of 37 staff school teachers from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State by the management.

The unions; National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) in a joint petition signed by their general secretaries rejected the decision, saying the college was ill-advised.

The unions also demanded for due process to at all times be followed when the management decides to discharge any of their members due to faults not of theirs.

The petition dated March 19, 2018 was signed by Olayinka Abioye; NUATE; Frances Akinjole; ATSSSAN, and Ocheme Aba for NAAPE.

The petition was copied to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, Minsiter of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Executive Chairman, Salaries, Income and Wages.

The petitioners insisted that “some mischievous third force at NCAT” were bent on misadvising the management in order to dislocate the prevailing industrial harmony at NCAT.

They wondered why the management was reluctant in implementing the judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which reversed the sack of teachers in staff schools across the country.

The petitioners explained that the management of the college immediately implemented the policy of the government on the funding of staff schools, but was slow in implementing a court judgement, which reversed the government’s policy.

Other staff schools across the country have implemented the judgement of the industrial court by recalling their sacked teachers in staff schools, but only NCAT was yet to implement such, the unions said.

Spokesperson for NCAT has not responded to our  correspondent’s enquiry as of the time of filing this report.