Unions dismiss AON’s threat to shut operations, accuse Air Peace of taxiway security breach

• Say industrial action not sabotage
• Laud Aero, Arik, Bristow Helicopter, Caverton as good examples
• Call out airlines over unremitted TSC

Nigeria’s aviation trade unions have strongly pushed back against allegations by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) that organised labour unlawfully interfered with airport operations during the August 11 industrial dispute.

Instead, the unions turned the tables, accusing domestic carriers, specifically Air Peace, of committing grave security breaches at the nation’s busiest airport.

Dismissing AON’s threat to shut down operations if picketed again as counterproductive, the labour groups urged the association to embrace constructive dialogue instead.

They pointed to operators like Aero Contractors, Bristow Helicopters, Arik Air, and Caverton Helicopters as positive examples of airlines maintaining collaborative industrial relations.

In a joint statement released on October 8, 2026, the labour groups dismissed the operators’ criticism as a deliberate attempt to frame union members as aggressors rather than workers lawfully defending their constitutional rights.

 Igene Paul (General Secretary, NUATE),  Frances Akinjole (General Secretary, ATSSSAN), Ocheme Aba (Deputy Secretary General, ANAP), and Umoh Ofonime (Deputy General Secretary, NAAPE) jointly issued the statement.

Rebutting AON’s claim that picketing amounts to unlawful interference under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, the unions argued that Nigerian labour laws, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions firmly back industrial action.

They asserted that ICAO Annex 17 provisions on unlawful interference were being misapplied, stressing that lawful industrial action can never be conflated with sabotage.

Countering the airlines’ claims, the unions revealed that during the peak of the dispute at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, Air Peace management coordinated five branded buses to block the aircraft taxiway and maneuvering area a move they described as a severe, direct threat to overall airport safety and operational security.

The unions said the August 11 action was partly triggered by private domestic airlines systematically blocking their employees from joining trade unions under threat of summary dismissal.

Furthermore, they accused airlines of withholding collected Ticket Service Charges (TSC) owed to aviation regulatory and service agencies.

The unions argued that these unremitted funds have crippled regulatory operations, hindered critical equipment maintenance, and stalled the implementation of negotiated conditions of service for workers across the industry.

In response to the AON’s push to classify general airline operations as essential services to permanently ban strikes, the unions cited established judicial precedents and ILO guidelines.

They emphasised that commercial airline operations do not meet the legal threshold for essential services, save for critical technical functions such as air traffic control.

The unions also debunked viral social media reports alleging union-led violence, asserting that their picketing remained orderly and focused on safeguarding airport infrastructure.

They noted that any physical confrontations were provoked by airline staff assaulting union delegates.

Regarding court judgments obtained by individual workers seeking to opt out of union membership, the unions clarified that they have never resisted voluntary withdrawal.

However, they insisted that individual opt-outs do not relieve airline management of their legal obligation to recognise and negotiate with unions representing the majority of workers.

Reaffirming their readiness for a peaceful resolution, the unions called on key industry stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions to safeguard industrial harmony across Nigeria’s aviation sector.

Wole Shadare