A fresh industrial dispute may be looming in Nigeria’s aviation sector after aviation workers issued a seven-day ultimatum to airline operators and other defaulting organisations to settle outstanding five per cent Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) owed to aviation agencies or face nationwide picketing.
The ultimatum, jointly issued by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), followed the expiration of an earlier 14-day notice served on 8 July, which lapsed on 23 July without compliance from the affected operators.
The TSC is a statutory levy collected on every airline ticket sold in Nigeria and is expected to be remitted to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for distribution among aviation agencies to support their operations and financial obligations.
Although airline operators deduct the levy from ticket sales, the unions alleged that several operators and other organisations had failed to remit the funds, depriving aviation agencies of critical revenue.
The development comes despite reports that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) recently met with the NCAA and agreed to settle the disputed funds in instalments, beginning with an initial payment of 10 per cent, with the balance to be paid over time.
Unions warn of safety risks
According to The Punch, in a statement signed by ATSSSAN General Secretary, Frances Akinjole, and NUATE Deputy General Secretary, Odinaka Igbokwe, the unions expressed disappointment over what they described as the “wilful non-compliance” of the affected operators.
“Our earlier 14-day ultimatum has expired, and regrettably, wilful non-compliance has been recorded.
“The aviation agencies remain starved of the required funds to keep our skies safe, while the conditions of service of our members in the various agencies continue to be jeopardised because of the non-remittance of the Ticket Sales Charge,” the statement read.
The unions argued that the continued withholding of the statutory deductions had weakened the financial capacity of aviation agencies and adversely affected workers’ welfare.
According to the unions, the situation poses a threat to aviation safety and security.
“This unnecessary demotivation factor to the air transport worker is a security and safety risk,” the statement added.
The unions warned that they could no longer remain passive while the safety of Nigeria’s airspace was allegedly being compromised.
“We can no longer helplessly fold our hands and allow the safety of our airspace to remain compromised.
“We hereby issue a seven-day notice to every TSC defaulter to remit the total debt owed to the agencies. Failure to do so will result in our unions taking concrete actions at their various premises,” the statement said.
