As information filtered in that unions in the aviation sector were planning to invade and destroy the facilities of the Murtala Murtala Airport Two (MMA2), operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), concessionaires, business owners and some intending passengers at the terminal yesterday embarked on a peaceful protest to decry the unions’ plan.
Three unions in the aviation sector, including the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), had shut down MMA2 since Tuesday on the pretext that some workers disengaged by BASL had shown interest in the unions, an allegation the company denied.
But, the concessionaires, their workers and other business owners at the terminal, who trooped out in their hundreds to protest the unions’ plan, accused them of deliberately planning to sabotage the terminal, if their demands were not meant.
They carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “Over 2,000 staff, families suffering”, “FG, save our souls”, NUATE/ATSSAN, respect court orders”, “NUATE/ATSSAN, let Bi-Courtney be” and “BASL is a responsible employer of labour”, among others.
Meanwhile, BASL in a statement signed yesterday by its spokesman, Steve Omolale, said, “We have it on good authority that unions in the aviation sector, who have grounded our operations for days now, are making clandestine moves to invade our terminal in the night and destroy the facilities therein.
“We will never allow this to happen as we consider it as the greatest act of criminality. We want to assure the unions that as a law-abiding corporate citizen, we will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to protect our terminal.
“With this new revelation, we believe that their alleged grievances go beyond the protestation of the disengagement of the 24 workers who they claimed were their members. We view this as an act of economic sabotage and a sustained campaign to truncate our concession.”
BASL therefore appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to enforce the various court orders granted it, restraining the unions from further disrupting the operations of MMA2.
