A foremost Industrial Union in Aviation industry with members working across all the airports in Nigeria both government and private owned airports; National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE has advised members of the union to always do their best in ensuring there is safe and secure skies for air users.
They gave the advice during a 2-day retreat which began from Tuesday, May 27 – Wednesday May 28, 2025, held for the members at Sky Rose Hotel Conference Hall in Owerri, the State capital, which was tagged,” 2025 Post May Day Lecture, 7th Edition”.
They also carried out an awareness campaign with placards inscribed, ” Aviation Workers are committed to safety standards”, Security in the Air our utmost priority”, Aviation safety our commitment”, Safe skies happy workers”, among others.
Speaking on the respective themes of the programme – ” Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice”, Aviation Workers: the Cornerstone for Safe and Secure Skies”, The National President of the Union, and Chairman of the National Coordinating Committee, NCC Nigeria, International Transport Workers Federation, ITF, Comrade Ben Nnabue, averred, “the Post May Day Retreat Conference is a time we come together to look at what we’ve done over the years, what we intend to do in future, raise a communique to management and let them know the vision, and intention of workers in the aviation industry.
“The theme, “Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice is basically on fundamentals of the trade union where we teach our people how to handle trade dispute to understand the trade dispute mechanism and restorative justice, ‘Nnabue stated’
For the second theme of the programme on, “Aviation Workers: The Cornerstone for Safe and Secure Skies”, the National President stated, “We are carrying out an awareness campaign on safe and secure skies which is an ITF programme, anchored by NUATE.
“We choose Imo State for this programme because of what Governor Hope Uzodimma is doing as we heard that he launched an international flight from Owerri Airport, so we deemed it fit to carry it out in Owerri for the people around this axis to know that the air has to be safe and secure, especially now that we are anchoring an international one,’Nnabue asserted’.
He therefore advised the members of the union to always keep to the mandate of the union of making sure the airports are safe and secure, hinting that ones the skies are not safe and secure then they don’t have work to do.
Adding his voice, the General Secretary of the union, Comrade Ocheme Abah, who after each lecture gave them instances of issues of conflict, and how they could be resolved, noted that the lectures were very enlightening as every month they have one reason or the other to resort to alternative dispute resolution.
Abah encouraged the people saying,” our organs should have it at the back of their mind that is not only through the law court or through strikes that we resolve our dispute with our various employers, so we need to utilize this alternative systems; Mediation, and Conciliation, others for our own benefit.
Dr Chioma Magnus Orjiako, a lecturer at Imo State University, IMSU School of General Studies, and the Organizer of the event, pointed out that the conflict resolution theme is apt as workers need to know alternative means of easily resolving every dispute, without necessarily going to court.
Orjiako continued that the second theme of the programme is also essential as it is pertinent to remind the workers of the need to prioritize on the people’s welfare.
He went on to say that the retreat is very significant to not just the members of the union, but the public at large as when the people in the aviation sector are working in a conducive environment, and the Skies are safe too, the public will mostly benefit from it.
The member were taken through various lectures – “Dispute Resolution Mechanism, Mediation and Conciliation, by Prof. Maurice N. Obasi from IMSU Faculty of Law”, “The Impact of Clear Communication in Labour Relations By Dr. Walter Emerole of Micheal Opara University of Agriculture Umudike Abia State.
“The Role of Industrial Arbitration in Labour Disputes; An Analysis of the National Industrial Court’s Jurisdiction and Effectiveness by Prof. Maurice Obasi”, “Sustainable Practices in Aviation Sector Anchored on Aviation Workforce” by Amb. Anthony . C. Akalugo, CEO Leadership Sustainable Development Academy LTD”, among others.
The participants were given opportunity to ask questions and give their contributions.
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