Aviation unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations (AUPC), and the Technical and Recreational Employees, have instructed staff of the Nigeria Meteorology Agency (NIMET) to begin a strike on Monday, 20th May 2024.
This directive was communicated in a letter dated 14th May 2024.
The strike is a response to the management’s failure to address 45 months of unpaid minimum wage arrears and consequential adjustments for staff.
The unions, represented by General Secretaries Ocheme Aba, Abdulrasaq Seidu, and Waheed Sikiru, wrote to NIMET’s Director General, Prof. Charles Anoske, with the subject "Re: Failure to Pay 45-Month Arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment—14 days ultimatum."
Although management had agreed to pay the arrears in installments, the unions claim this promise was a tactic to avert strike action, as payments ceased after only three months, leaving 42 months of arrears unpaid.
The unions also criticized the agency for failing to distribute the federal government-approved palliatives since October 2023, not reflecting a 25-35 percent salary increase, and excluding NIMET from Peculiar Allowances.
Additionally, the unions noted that a joint letter dated 4th April 2024 requesting a review of the outdated conditions of service has yet to receive a response from the management.
The letter reads;
“The above catalogue of woes, and others unmentioned confirm that NiMET Staff have been consigned to the lin bin of abject poverty – worse than any existing aviation establishment In our considered view, it is inhuman on the part of Management to have forborne with these conditions, and irresponsible on the part of Unions to have tolerated this situation for this long.
“Therefore, this letter serves as notice to the management of NiMET that the staff of the agency are, by copy of this letter, directed to withdraw all services with effect from Monday 20th May 2024 unless and until the outstanding 42 months arrears of consequential adjustment is fully liquidated,
“NIMET Salary structure is adapted to an appropriate Federal Government approved structure and all accruable payments liquidated, Management commences review of the outdated CoS with our Unions with a definite timeline for delivery and actualisation.”