AERO
CONTRACTORS’ MANAGEMENT POSITION TO THE UNION PROTEST
Gentlemen
of the Press,
This is
our story:
On the 11th
of December 2015, the Chairmen of the Aero Branch of Air Transport Services
Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Union of Air
transport Employees (NUATE) in persons of Messrs Emakpor Ayo-Ife and Adeniyi
Adenuga requested for management approval through the Human Resources
Department to hold a congress meeting on 14th December 2015. The request was expressly approved on that
premise as it is the practice.
To our
surprise and outside the normal operandi of the congress meeting, the
Associations stormed our premises with their own Press Crew and Security
details in such a predetermined manner and protested within and around the
Company premises thereby causing serious embarrassment to our esteemed
customers.
In the
cause of this protest on 14th December 2015, two of our staff who
are also members of the Association (Messrs Emakpor Ayo-Ife and Adeniyi
Adenuga) divulged sensitive Company information to the press which is contrary
to the Company Policy and had the tendency to potray the company in bad light.
In line
with this, the HR department was directed by management to initiate
disciplinary procedure against two of the company’s employees who are
incidentally members of these associations for infringements of company policy.
To this end, both employees were issued with queries by the Ag. Head of the
company’s Human Resources Department and the responses received from these employees’
pointed to the fact that there was a need for the company to carry out
investigation into the matter. In line with the policy of our company and
international labour laws, when the need arises for an investigation to be
conducted concerning infringements of this nature, the company places the
relevant staff on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation in order
to forestall the employee from interfering with the investigation process.
To our
dismay and embarrassment, immediately the disciplinary procedure was being
initiated by the Human Resources department of the company, the Air Transport
Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union
of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) wrote us letters threatening to disrupt the
activities of the company if the disciplinary procedure is not reversed.
We find
the attitude of these Associations unacceptable and their disposition towards
our company in relation to their biased stand regarding the present issue has
led the management of our company to conclude that, in future, these
Associations will attempt to frustrate our company’s efforts towards
maintaining staff discipline if left unchecked and it is in this vein that we officially
reported these Associations to the Labour and Productivity Ministry, copying
the Aviation ministry, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and State Security
Service with a plea to look into this matter with the ultimate goal of checking
the unwholesome practice of these Associations because of its serious safety
implications on our operations as an airline.
The
management of Aero is open to discussions and ideas towards resolving labour
disagreements. What is unacceptable is the inability of the Union to follow due
process in resolving labour issues.
We remain
a responsible and responsive organisation that we are. And we will continue to
dialogue with the Union once the environment is conducive for such.
Thanking
you for the interest in our organisation. We still remain your preferred
choice.
faithfully,
For: AERO CONTRACTORS COMPANY OF NIGERIA LIMITED
IYENE
AMAPAKABO
Ag.
Managing Director/CEO
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