Labour gives Air peace, Bristow ultimatum to reinstate sacked workers

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given Air Peace, Bristow Helicopters and Turkish Airlines two weeks to reinstate their sacked workers.

The NLC president, comrade Ayuba Wabba, gave the ultimatum in a statement made available to journalists on Friday.

• Air Peace sacks pilots as talk over pay cut collapses
• Bristow airline sacks over 100 pilots, engineers

Air Peace, Bristow Helicopters had recently disengaged many of their pilots and engineers.

The statement reads: ”it was insensitive for the companies to sack the workers considering the traumatic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Wabba said: “NLC condemns and rejects the recent sack of 100 pilots by Air Peace, 69 pilots by Bristow Helicopters and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) executives working with Turkish Air.”

“We call on the management of Turkish Airlines, Air Peace and Bristow Helicopters to reinstate all the sacked workers within two weeks.”

“It is very traumatic for workers, who are still reeling from psychological and socio-economic difficulties imposed by the recent lockdown measures and are just savouring the joy of being able to work again, to be slammed with sack letters.”

“During the good times, workers were the hands that created the profit and wealth.

“During bad times, we expect businesses to repay the faith and commitment of the workforce,” said Wabba.

He said: “Clearly, we have a bumpy road ahead of us as the nation and the world recovers from the fallout of COVID-19.

“Workers are ready to play their part towards the restoration of full productivity and industrial normalcy but that can only be achieved in an atmosphere of mutual respect and sensitivity.

“Nothing else would suffice.”

He added that: “Workers should insist on their rights to join unions.

“This is a safety valve.

“No employer is allowed by our laws to intimidate workers out of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to join trade unions.”