Activities at Bristow helicopters in Lagos has been grounded to a halt as union barricaded all entrance into the company premises.
The union, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, used vehicles to block the entry and exits gates to prevent staff and other persons from gaining access into the Bristow premises.
Many of the Bristow staff on resumption of work this morning were shocked as they were barred from going into the company premises.
Executive members of NAAPE, who took turns to address its members said they would not be deterred in ensuring that the Management of the company acceded to their demands.
NAAPE’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Igwe lists their demands to include the restart of the suspended Conditions of Service, CoS negotiations, payment of full remuneration in dollars to Nigerian pilots and engineers as their expatriate counterparts.
Others are fulfilling the promise of employing some Nigerians as young cadet and trainee engineers and adjust national engineers’ progression in tandem with expatriate Nationals and global aviation standards.
Cue in
Lagos State Chairperson, Nigeria Lagos Congress, NLC, Comrade Funmi Sessi emphasized that the union was all out to ensure that Nigerians were not enslaved in their own Country while expatriates were treated as superiors.
She said, the NLC would not tolerate any employer shortchange its members, adding that the body would ensure that Bristow helicopters do not operate as long as the Management refuses to come to the dialogue table to negotiate with the unions.
In a statement, Bristow helicopters says they remain willing to engage and dialogue on the issues if NAAPE is ready.
It explains that it stopped the Pilots and Engineers Conditions of Service (COS) negotiations, recognizing the recent global outbreak of COVID 19, adding that notwithstanding the economic challenges in the aviation industry since the spread of Covid 19, Bristow pilots and engineers have remained the best paid in the industry and have not suffered any reduction or change in their salaries, at a time when operations have reduced by 50%.
Modupe Arotolu
