Arik Air workers protest against protesters who are protesting for Arik Air workers
Is it by force? Is it your salary? Wetin konsain you? Who told you we are suffering?
These are the questions Arik Air workers are asking aviation unionists who are protesting to “liberate” the airline workers from “uncaring” management.
Protesters, on Thursday, stormed Arik Air office at Lagos Airport disrupting activities and demanding the airline pay workers who are being owed December salaries.
The Arik Air workers then “fought back”, not against the airline management, but against their unionist saviours whom an Arik official called “some members of the public”.
Yeah, like…seriously…
“Some members of the public under the guise of aviation unions have again come to disrupt activities at the headquarters of Arik Air,” the airline’s social media coordinator Kayode Badmus told Newsroom.
“Please note that no staff of Arik Air is in support of this unnecessary action.
“Members of staff are currently staging a counter protest to inform the so-called unionists to leave us alone.
“Leave Arik Air alone,” he said.
What’s happening, really?
Scroll down for photo gallery.
An Arik worker told our correspondent the aviation unionists are “a bunch of old men who have been doing this for years”.
“They claim they are fighting for Arik staff welfare. This they are doing by shutting down the airline’s operations. Now we have come out to say we didn’t mandate any union to agitate for us.
“There is a new management at Arik Air and all staff are being patient and cooperative with them to ensure that the airline becomes the pride of Nigeria once again.
“The old management was owing December salary. When the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) took over on February 8, they paid us January and February salaries with a promise to pay December after their ongoing audit.
“So, technically, we are only being owed December salary which is the ousted management’s fault.
“The union members are only trying to be relevant. They want AMCON to include them on their payroll for doing nothing.
“They are not our staff now. They are career unionists who get paid by staging protests like this,” the Arik Air worker said.
We were unable to reach the aviation union protesters.
