To the dismay of air travellers, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) barricaded the “Terminal 2” building at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Tuesday.
As a result of the association’s action, flights were grounded and passengers were stranded.
The union blocked the entrance to the terminal building to protest that the owner of the terminal, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), had fired several of its leaders.
34 employees of the BASL were required to take a leave of absence on October 14.
It said the action was “to allow management to assess the efficiency of the new terminal building and allowances will be paid during this period’’.
Two weeks later, on October 28, BASL distributed letters of termination of assignments to the concerned employees, including the women leaders of the senior staff association and the chairman, secretary, and treasurer.
Airport travellers expressed regret over the circumstance.
Mr. Abiodun Dipo, who had a flight at 7 a.m. to Abuja, voiced his disgust with the circumstance.
“The disagreement between the union and terminal building operator can be resolved in civil ways other than blocking the airport and leaving passengers to suffer untoward hardship.
“What is my business in the fact that both of them have issues to resolve? But then, I have missed my flight to Abuja which has come at a cost,’’ he said.
Mrs Sade Fadipe, who was at the airport with her two-year-old son, also lamented the situation.
“I had an important medical appointment for my son, but I missed the appointment because of something that has absolutely nothing to do with me.
“There are better ways to resolve issues and not by making everyone suffer for something we have absolutely no idea. So who would compensate us for their failure?’’ she queried.
The union’s deputy general secretary, Mr. Frances Akinjole, said that ATSSSAN has gone on strike against BASL and stopped providing services.
According to what he said, the ATSSSAN saw BASL’s actions as victimising union officials and members who demanded their rights.
Akinjole pointed out that the union has encountered resistance in its attempts to negotiate with the BASL to recall the affected members to work.
