With the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMET) employees ordered to go on strike starting February 4, 2025, flight delays threatened to damage the country’s aviation industry.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCCSTRSE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) jointly wrote to NiMET’s director-general, Prof. Charles Anosike, alleging that the organization’s management has disregarded a ministerial directive to review the conditions of service of its employees.
The administration of NiMet has been accused by the unions of failing to execute the agency’s revised scheme of service since 2019.
According to the letter, “RE: Failure To Respond To Lawful And Reasonable Demands – 14 Days ultimatum,” the agency’s employees do not deserve the hardships that the NiMET leadership’s actions and inactions have continued to inflict upon them.
“We are highly concerned that your Management has inexplicably refused all entreaties from our Unions to address the extremely adverse circumstances of the workers of NiMet. Despite being evidently aware of the clear backward state of NiMet’s staff welfare status in the aviation industry, your Management remains unmoved and lethargic in addressing this obvious malady.
“Our unions have severally, individually and jointly, sought to call your attention to these issues, but, these efforts, including ultimatum, have been totally rebuffed, or ignored completely by you. This sad narrative, you must admit, stands your Management in very poor state in industrial relations administration.
“Our Unions stand on good grounds to refuse to continue to be so treated, more importantly, the workers of the Agency do not deserve the suffering that the actions and inaction of your Management continue to mete out to them.”
Findings indicate that the main points of contention are the following: failure to implement the new minimum wage; failure to pay the nine-month arrears of the 2019 Minimum Wage Act’s consequential adjustment; noncompliance with the minister’s directive to review the Conditions of Service; and failure to implement the Agency’s reviewed scheme of service since 2019.
These included “not paying the hardship allowance; not paying the forty percent peculiar allowance; not paying the twenty-five to thirty-five percent wage award; not helping with the transition from CONMETSS; not meeting with our union on these issues, and other state issues.”
“In the light of the foregoing, we wish to inform you that the Unions as named above shall be moved to commence industrial action against the Agency after fourteen (14) days from date if the stated issues are not completely ameliorated. Therefore, all workers of NiMet by copy of this letter are hereby directed to withdraw all services at the Agency with effect from 6am on Tuesday 4th of February, 2025 unless otherwise directed.”