NAHCO: Management Regrets Action, Says Strike Against Court Order

The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) says the strike embarked upon by its workers has put some airlines in a difficult situation but promised that the action would be resolved speedily.

The executive director, NAHCO, Olusola Obabori, said this in a statement in Lagos on Monday.

He apologised for the inconvenience, regretting the insistence of some staff to go on strike despite a subsisting court order restraining them.

“This situation would be resolved speedily as it is detrimental to the staff, the company and its esteemed clients,” Mr Obabori said.

He said the company was engaging the unions to ensure that the disruption in flight services was resolved.

“We understand the power of negotiation as the company has arguably the best welfare package among the local players in the aviation industry.

” We are trying our best and we would do all that is absolutely necessary to make our workforce happy even as it delights its customers,” he said.

Giving a background to the industrial action, NAHCO said two unions had accused it of slow progress in the negotiation for a salary review, threatening a strike.

The company said it had promoted 2,000 members of its workforce recently and had pleaded for further negotiations with the union till February.

It said it asked the union for more time to stabilize from the financial effect of the recent promotions, but the unions gave notice of strike.

The staff of NAHCO eventually went on strike on Monday, alleging the failure of the management to attend to their conditions of service.

Given this, flights at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport were disrupted.

NAHCO staff are saddled with the responsibility of handling check-in, boarding, and ramp services for several international airlines.

The Monday strike left several passengers stranded at the airport as they were not attended to.

(NAN)