Union threatens strike over merger of NAMA depts.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has issued a notice of warning to the management of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to embark on full scale strike over the proposed merger Automated Information Service (AIS) and Communications departments by the agency.
The union which kicked against the merger yesterday embarked on a warning strike to press home their demands and called on the management to jettison the plan.
The management had called for a meeting with the union to close the tension created by this merger issue. At the meeting the Director of Operation – Mr. Uzoma Fyneboy who led the management team said they never proposed nor contemplate the merging of AIS and COMS together.
Secretary General of NUATE, Olayinka Abioye stated that the Union in response told the management the need to look into the location of AIS/Air Traffic Services Reporting Office CARO, an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) document 8126 stipulates that the office be accessible to the pilots and airlines representative.
The workers, represented by the union, said they received the information with dismay, adding that since 2013 that amendment 37 to Annex 15 came to effect, NAMA is yet to meet these requirements.
They noted that the services are been performed under a very tedious and strenuous conditions, with most of the services performed manually.
“In line with the above, the management should be asked if ICAO the parent body has merged annex 10 volume 2 with annex 15.”
While there is no training and employment for efficiency in AIS and Communications over the years which they said endanger safety in air transport, the union demanded the immediate completion of AIS automation which was approved by Federal Government since 2008
They equally mandated the NAMA management to improve the working conditions of these two (AIS and COMMS) departments for effective discharge of duty
Aside that, they demanded that a Directorate should be created for these two (AIS & COMMS) departments to work together as claimed by the management
They urged the agency to maintain the status quo to avert industrial unrest.
