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Crisis brew of NiMET condition of service, as unions tackle ANAP
- Berate transfer of members
A fresh crisis is brewing in the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) over condition of service as the Almagamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and National Union of Air Transport Employee (NUATE) has raised alarm over plans to derail the exercise.
The unions noted that the development was at the verge of being implemented when some individuals for selfish reasons brought another controversial union to NiMET.
In a statement made available to Woleshadarenews and signed by AUPCTRE chairperson, his secretary Alao Adesina, Awotu Simon Ayuba and NUATE chairperson and his secretary, Uzor Samuel and Hycent Okunbor, stated that due to confusion created by ANAP, whom they were seeking relevance at all cost and for peace to reign in NiMET, the management suspended this near to completion exercise and initiated a new process of review of the condition of service for NiMET.
“It is therefore not true that ANAP or any individual/group of people would claim to have initiated the negotiation of CoS for NiMET workers in the latter part of 2017 in view of what AUPCTRE and NUATE had done before on the issue”.
They explained that the above necessitated AUPCRE and NUATE to inform their esteem members that they were meticulously and vigilantly monitoring the progress of their CoS.
They added that neither AUPCTRE nor NUATE had given any notice of industrial action to NiMET management, stressing that the two unions would not hesitate to do so if and when the situation arises.
The group berated the transfer of some individuals/union officials; they reiterated that they uphold the provision of Nigeria Labour Laws that labour leaders cannot be transferred while serving as elected union executive in their various duty posts.
They hinted that transfer of labour officers does provide enough ground for nationwide industrial actions whereas in labour, strike action is always the last option particularly on matters of general staff welfare.
“We frowned bitterly at the activities of ANAP who in connivance with some suspected persons in the IPPIS office to criminally conscripted over a thousand members of staff of NiMET many of whom are members of AUPCTRE and NUATE into their union without their consent since February 2018 and thereby diverted their union dues amounting to millions of naira to ANAP”.
It would be recalled that ANAP had on April 13, 2019 issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Director-General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) to address the delayed implementation of the Condition of Service (CoS) to its members working in the organisation.
The union also threatened to clamp down on the organisation if the issues raised are not addressed within the seven-day period, beginning from Friday April 12.
In addition, the association wants the Director-General of the organization to reverse the alleged anti-trade union transfers (postings) of Nimet ANAP branch executives out of Abuja since December 2018,
The organisation explained that it was resorting to calling out workers on industrial protest at the expiration of the ultimatum due the failure of all peaceful dialogue approaches taken by the association for the management to see reasons the two issues being agitated be resolved amicably.
Secretary-General of ANAP, Abdul-Rasaq Saidu noted that the management of NiMet and its Director-General had treated all ANAP entreaties with impunity.
He therefore enjoined all workers in NiMet to stay at home indefinitely at the expiration of the ultimatum if two issues are not resolved in favour of the workers, adding that “Enough is Enough. No retreat! No surrender!”
Saidu further stated that actions were being taken to alert all the three labour centres in the sector as back up to this looming industrial strike action.
It would be recalled that ANAP had issued more three seven-day ultimatums to the management of NiMET in the past one year, all to no avail, while the management of the agency also refused to addressed all the issues raised by the union.
He therefore enjoined all workers in NiMet to stay at home indefinitely at the expiration of the ultimatum if two issues are not resolved in favour of the workers, adding that “Enough is Enough. No retreat! No surrender!”
This warning was signed by the Secretary General, ANAP, Comrade Abdul-Rasaq Saidu, and made available to our correspondent.
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